LIBRARY 

UNIVW517T  Of 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


JOHN  TBTTMBUJLL  ES 


M'F    I   N    G    A    L: 


A    MODERN 


EPIC      POEM, 

I  N 

FOUR      CANTOS. 


BY  JOHN  TRUMBULL, 


EMBELLISHED 

WITH  NINE  COPPER  PLATES; 

DESIGNED   AND  ENGRAVED  BY  E. 


THE    FIRST    EDITION    WITH   PLATES, 
AND  EXPLANATORY  NOTES. 


Ergo  non  fatis  eft  rifu  diducere  rlclum 
Auditoris  :  et  eftquaedam  tamem  hie  quoque  virtus, 
Eft  brevitate  opus  m  currat  fententia,   ncu   fe 
impediat  verbis  laffas  onerantibus  aures. 
Et  fermone  opus  eft  modo    trifti,  faepe  jocofo, 
Defendente    vicem  modo  Rheroris,   atque  Poetac, 
Interdum  urbani,   parcentis  viribus  atque 
Extrnnantis  eas  confulio.     Ridicuium  acri 
Fortius  et  melius  magnas  pkrurRqu-  fecat  res. 

Horat.  Lib.    i.  Sat.  10. 


N  E  W  -  Y  O  R  K  : 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN  BUEL,  No.  132.  FLY-MARKET, 
M,  DCC,  XCV. 


EDITORS    PREFACE 

TO    THE    AMERICAN    EDITION, 
WITH    PLATES. 


1  HE  following  Poem  was  firft  publifh- 
ed  in  1782,  in  the  ftate  of  Connecticut, 
Jwhere  thfc  Author  was  born,  and  received 
his  education,  and  where  he  now  rendes. 
It  has  pafled  through  feveral  impreffions 
in  this  country,  and  Great-Brit ain,  and 
has  obtained  univerfal  celebrity. 

In  1792  a  fplendid  edition  of  it  appear 
ed  in  London,  with  explanatojy  notes. 
So  far  as  thefe  notes  contain  fafts,  and 
ferve  to  elucidate  paffages,  which  would 
be  otherwife  obfcure,  they  are  retaincri 


IV  EDITORS    PREFACE. 

in  this  edition :  But  as  that  London  edi 
tion  was  publifhed  to  anfwer  the  purpofes 
of  a  party,  and  the  Editor  has  taken  the 
liberty  to  mifreprefent  the  views  of  the 
Author,  the  preface  and  fuch  of  the  notes 
as  wTere  inferted  for  that  purpofe,  are 
here  omitted..  This  is  done  at  the  re- 
queit  of  the  author,  with  whofe  permiffi- 
on,  this  edition  is  offered  to  the  Ameri 
can  public. 

The  delign  of  the  Poem  will  bed  ap 
pear  from  its  general  tenor.  The  Au 
thor,  at  the  time  the.  oppofition  of  Ame 
rica  to  the  unjuft  claims  of  the  Britim 
Parliament,  was  maturing  into  fyftem,  liv 
ed  in  Bofton  with  one  of  the  principal 
projeftors  of  American  Independence.  He 
efpoufed  the  caufe  of  his  country,  and 
became  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
tranfadions  of  the  early  revolutionifls,  and 
all  the  meafures  of  the  Britifh  agents,  to 
counter-act  •  the  oppofition.  This  appears 
by  a  number  of  Anecdotes,  very  humor- 
oufly  related,  in  the  courfe  of  the  Poem. 


EDITORS    PREFACE.  v 

That  the  Author  is  a  warm  friend  of 
American  Independence,  is  obvious,  frtfm 
the  whole  tenor  of  the  work ;  and  the 
principal  fcope  of  the  Poem  feems  to  have 
been,  to  ridicule  the  claims  of  the  Bri- 
tifh  Parliament,  atid  the  meafures  purfued 
to  enforce  thofe  claims.  At  the  fame 
time,  the  abfurdities  and  mifconduft  of  his 
own  countrymen  have  not  efcaped  his  no 
tice. 

The  Author  is  no  friend  to  monarchy, 
nor  ariflocracy  ;  nor  is  he  a  raving  de 
mocrat.  He  is  a  friend  of  republican  go 
vernment,  and  rational  liberty — that  liber 
ty  which  is  fecured  by  juft  laws,  and  a 
fteady  adminiftration  of  juftice.  But  it  is 
not  true  that  the  Poem  was  written  with 
the  fole  view  to  ridicule  anyparticular  form 
of  government. 

The  fcene  of  the  Poem  is  laid  in  MafTa- 
chufetts,  where  the  Revolution  originated. 
The  time  is  in  1775.  M'FiNGAL  the 
hero,  is  defignedto  reprefent  the  tory  fac- 


Vi  EDITORS    PREFACE. 

tion   in    general  :     and    Ho  N  OKI  us,    the 

whigs. 

It  is  unnecefiary  to  fay  any  thing  of  the 
merit  of  the  Poem.  This  is  univerfally 
acknowledged  ;  and  the  Poem  will  conti 
nue  to  be  read  and  admired,  while  true 
tafte  and  fcience  adorn  the  civilized  world. 
The  Philofopher  in  his  clofet,  the  travel 
ler  on  his  voyage,  and  the  man  of  bufi- 
nefs  at  his  fire-fide,  will  always  find 
M'FiNGAL,  an  inftruftive  friend,  and  a 
pleafant  compan  on. 

The  Editors  have  taken  particular  pains, 
to  render  this  edition,  worthy  of  public 
patronage.  The  explanatory  notes  will 
give  this  impreffion  a  great  advantage 
over  any  American  edition.  Indeed  with 
out  them,  many  paffages  alluding  to  lo 
cal  cuftoms,  or  defcriptive  of  local  tranfac- 
tions,  could  not  be  underftood  by  a  great 
proportion  of  readers. 

But  the  Plates  added  to  this  edition, 
are  an  improvement  on  all  former  ones, 


EDITORS    PREFACE*  VH 

and    cannot  fail  to  give  it  a  decided  pre 
ference. 

In  every  refpeft  the  Editors  flatter  them-* 
felves,  the  elegance  of-  the  work  will  do 
juftice  to  this  admired  Poem;  and  they 
confide  in  the  liberality  of  their  country 
men,  to  give  due  encouragement  to  this 
fpecimen  of  American  genius  and  induftry. 


THE  Notes  in  this  Edition  marked  with  in 
verted  Commas,  were  inferted  by  the  Author 
in  the  firft  Edition  ;  thofe  that  are  not  fb 
marked,  are  principally  extra&ed  and  altered 
from  a  London  Edition,  Printed  in  the  Year 
1792. 


M<  F     I     N     G     A     L: 

CANTO      FIRST. 

The  Town-Meeting,  A.  M, 


W 


HEN  Yankies*,  Ikill'd  in  martial  rule,, 
Firft  put  the  Britifh  troops  to  fchool  ; 
Inftrudted  them  in  warlike  trade, 
And  new  manoeuvres  of  parade  ; 
The  true  war-dance  of  Yankey-reels, 
And  manual  exercife  of  heels ; 
Made  them  give  up,  like  faints  complete, 
The  arm  of  flefh,   and  truft   the  feet, 

Yankiss,   a  tewi   formerly   of  derifion,  but    now    merely 
dfdiftindion,  given  to   the  people  of  the  four  Eaftern  Statei. 

B 


2  Mf  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO   I, 

And  work,  like  Chriftians  undiflembling, 
Salvation  our,  by  fear  and  trembling  j 
Taught  Percy  fafhionable  races, 
And  modern  modes  of  Chevy-chafes*  : 
From  Boflon,  in  his  bed  array, 
Great  'Squire,  M'Fingal,  took  his  way, 
And,  grac'd  with  enfigns  of  renown, 
Steer'd  homeward  to  his  native  town. 

His  high  defcent  our  heralcL  trace 
To  f  Oman's  famed  Fingalian  race  ; 
For  tho*  their  name  fome  part  may  lack, 
Old  Fingal  fpelt  it  with  a  Mac  ; 
Which  great  MTherfon,  with  fubmiflioiu 
We  hope  will  add  the  next  edition. 

His  fathers  flouriuYd  in  the  Highlands 
Of  Scotia's  fog-benighted  iflands  ; 
\Vhence  gain'd.our  'Squire  two  gifts  by  right5 
Rebellion  and  the  Second-fight. 
Of  thefe  the  firft,   in  ancient  days, 
Had  gain'd  the  noblefl  palms  of  praife, 


*  Lord  Percy  commanded  the  party  that  wasfirft  oppofedby 
the  Americans  at  Lexington,  Th's  illufion  to  the  family-renown 
of  Chevy-Chace  arofe  from  the  precipitate  manner  of  his  quit 
ting  the  fieui  of  battle,  and  returning  to  Bofton. 

i  "  See  Fingal,  an  ancient  Epic  Poem,  publifhed  as  the  work 
of  Offian,  a  Caledonian  Bard,  of  the  third  century,  by  James 
M'Pherfoa,  a  Scotch  miniiteiial  fcribbler," 


CANTO    I.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  3 

'Gainft  Kings  flood  forth,  and  many  a  crown'd  head 

With  terror  of  its  might  confounded  j 

Till  rofe  a  King  with  potent  charm 

His  foes  by  goodnefs  to  difarm  j     , 

Whom  ev'ry  Scot  and  Jacobite 

Strait  fell  in  love  with — at  firft  fight ; 

Whofe  gracious  fpeech,  with  aid  o£  penfions, 

Hufh'd  down  all  murmers  of  diiTentions, 

And  with  the  found  of  potent  metal, 

Brought  all  their  bluft' ring  fwarms  to  fettle  5 

Who  rain'd  his  minifterial  mannas, 

Till  loud  Sedition  fung  Hofannas  ; 

The  good  Lords-Bifhops  and  the  Kirk 

United  in^the  public-work; 

Rebellion  from  the  northern  regions. 

With  Bute  and  Mansfield  (wore  allegiance, 

And  allcombin'd  to  raz^  as  ruiifance, 

Of  church  and  (late,  the  conftitutions  ; 

Pull  down  the  empire  en  whole  ruins 

They  meant  to  edify  their  new  ones  ; 

E,nflave  the  American  wildernene?, 

And  tear  the  provinces  in  pieces. 

For  thefe  our  'Squire,   among  the  valant'ft, 

Ernploy'd  his  time  and  tools  and  talents  -9 

And  in  their  caufe,  with  manly  zeal, 

Us'd  his  firil  virtue  to  rebel ; 

And  found  this  new  rebellion  pleafing 

As  his  old  king  dcilroying  trcalbn, 

B  2 


4  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L  CANTO    I, 

Nor  lefs  avail'd  his  optic  fleight, 
And  Scotifh  gift  of  fecond-fight. 
No  ancient  fybil,  fam'd  in  rhyme, 
Saw  deeper  in  the  womb  of  time  ; 
No  block  in  old  Dodona's  grove> 
Could  ever  more  orac'lar  prove. 
Nor  only  faw  he  all  that  was, 
But  much  that  never  came  to  pafs ; 
Whereby  all  Prophets  far  out-went  he,, 
Tho'  former  days  produc'd  a  plenty  : 
For  any  man  with  half  an  eye, 
What  ftands  before  him  may  efpy'j 
But  optics  lharp  it  needs,  I  ween, 
To  fee  what  is  not  to  be  feen.  ^ 

As  in  the  days  of  ancient  fame 
Prophets  and  poets  were  the  fame, 
And  all  the  praife  that  poets  gain 
Is»but  for  what  th'  invent  and  feign: 
So  gain'd  our  'Squire  his  fame  by  feeing 
Such  things  as  never  would  have  being. 
Whence  he  for  oracles  was  grown 
The  very  *  tripod  of  his  town. 
Gazettes  no  fooner  rofe  a  lye  in, 
But  ftrait  he  fellvto  prophefying  ; 
Made  dreadful  flaughter  in  his  courfe, 
Overthrew  provincials,  foot  and  horfe  ; 

*  «'  The  Tripod  was  a  facred  three-legged  flool,  from  which 
the  ancient  prielts  uttered  their  oracles/' 


CANTO  r.  M'FINGAL.  5 

Brought  armies  o'er  by  fudden  pfeffings, 
Of  Hanoverians,  Swils  and  Heffians  5 
Feafted  with  blood  his  Scotiih  clan, 
And  hang'd  all  rebels  to  a  man ; 
Divided  their  eftates  and  pelf, 
And  took  a  goodly  lhare  himfelP. 
All  this,  with  fpirit  energetic, 
He  did  by  fecond-fight  prophetic. 

Thus  ftor'd  with  intellectual  riches, 
Skill'd  was  our  'Squire  in  making  fpeeches, 
Where  ftrength  of  brains  united  centers 
With  ftrength  of  lungs  furpafiing  Stentor's* 
But  as  fome  mufkets  fo  contrive  it, 
As  oft  to  mifs  the  mark  they  drive  at, 
And  tho*  well  aim'd  at  duck  or  plover, 
Bear  wide,  and  kick  their  owners  over : 
So  far'd  our  'Squire,  whofe  reas'ning  toil 
Would  often  on  himfelf  recoil, 
And  fo  much  injur'd  more  his  fide, 
The  ftronger  arguments  he  apply'd  ; 
As  old  war  elephants,    difmay'd, 
Trode  down  the  troops  they  came  to  aid, 

*  This  prophecy,  like  fome  of  the  prayers  of  Homer's  he 
roes,  was  but  half  accornplifhed.  The  ti  no<veria*'s,  &c. 
indeed,  came  over,  and  much  were  they  Jeajltd  wiVA  blotJi 
but  the  hanging  cfall  tie  Rebels,  and  tke  dividing  their  ejlctcs, 
remain  unfulfilled.  Thir,  however,  cannot  be  the  fault  of 
our  Hero,  but  rather  the  Hritifo  Minifter,  who  lift  off  the  wav 
feefore  the  work  VMS  completed, 


6  M'FINGAL.  CANTO  r. 

And  hurt  their  own  fide  more  in  battle 
Than  lefs  and  ordinary   cattle. 
Yet  at  town-meetings  ev'ry  chief 
Pinn'd  faith  on  great  M'Fingal's  fleeve, 
And,  as  he  motioned  all  by  rote 
Rais'd  fympathetic  hands  to  vote. 

The  town,  our  Hero's  fcene  of  action,. 
Had  long  been  torn  by  feuds  of  fadlion; 
And  as  each  party's  ftrength  prevails, 
It  turn'd  up  difPrent  heads  or  tails  ; 
With  conftant  ratt'iing,  in  a  trice 
Show'd  various  fides,  as  oft  as  dice  : 
As  that  fam'd  weaver,  *  wife  t'  Ul)fT  s, 
By  night  each  day's- work  pick'd  in  pieces  ; 
And  tho'  Ihe  ftoutly  did  beflir  her, 
Its  finifhing  was  ne'er  the  nearer  : 
So  did  this  town  with  ftedfaft  zeal 
Weave  cob- webs  for  the  public  weal, 
Which  when  completed,  or  before, 
A  lecond  vote  in  pieces  tore. 
They- met,  made  fpeeches  full  long-winded., 
Refolv'd,  proteftcd,  and  refcinded; 
Addreffes  fign'd,  then  chofe  Committees, 
To  flop  all  drinking  of  Bohea-teas  f$ 

*  Homer's  Odyfley 

•t  One  of  the  fubjefts  of  difpute,  which  brought  on  the  war, 
was  a  tax  laid  upon    tea,  on  its  importation  into  the  then 

Co- 


CANTO   I.  MCF  t  NG  A  L~  $ 

With  winds  of  dodlrine  veer'd  about, 

And  turn'd  all  Whig-Committees  out. 

Meanwhile  our  Hero,  as  their  head,, 

In  pomp  the  tory  faction  kd, 

Still  following,  as  the  'Squire  fhould  pleafc, 

Succefiive  on,  like  files  of  geefe. 

And  now  the  town  was  fummon'd,  greeting, 
To  grand  parading  of  town-meeting  \ 
A   (how,  that  ftrangers  might  appall, 
As  Rome's  grave  fenate  did  the  Gaul. 
High  o'er  the  rout,  on  pulpit-flairs  f, 
Like  den  of  thieves  in  houfe  ofpray'rs 
(That   houfe,  which  loth  a  rule  to  break, 
Serv'd  Heav'n  but  one  day  in  the  week, 
Open  the  reft  for  all  fupplies 
Of  news  and  politics  and  lies,) 
Stood  forth  the  conftable,  and  bore 
His  ftaff,  like  Merc'ry's  wand  of  yore, 
Wav'd  potent  round,  the  peace  to  keep, 
As  that  laid  dead  men's  fouls  to  fleep. 

Colonies.  And,  therefore,  one  of  the  weapons  of  oppofi- 
Von,  made  ufe  of  by  the  people,  was  a  univerfal  agree 
ment,  not  ti  drink  any  Tea  until  the  tax  fiould  be  taken 
of.  The  Committees,  here  referred  to,  were  called 
Committees  of  Saft'i ;  part  of  their  bufinefs  was  to  watch  over 
the  execution  of  the  voluntary  regulations  made  by  the  people 
in  the  feveral  towns. 

+   In  country-towns  the  town-meeting  is  generally  held  in 
the  Church. 


g  MCFINGAL.  CANTO 

Above,  and  near  th'  Hermetic  ftaff, 
The  *  moderator's  upper  half, 
In  grandeur  o'er  the  cufhion  bow'd, 
Like  Sol  half-feen  behind  a  cloud. 
Beneath  flood  voters  of  all  colours, 
Whigs,  tories,  orators,  and  bawlers. 
With  ev'ry  tongue  in  either  faction, 
Prepared  like  minute- menf,  for  action  ; 
Where  truth  and  falfehood,  wrong  and  right, 
Draw  all  their  legions  out  to  fight  ; 
With  equal  uproar,  fcarcely  rave 
Oppofing  winds  in  .ZEolus'  cave  ; 
Such  Dialogues,  with  earned  face, 
Held  never  Balaam  with  his  afs. 

With  daring  zeal  and  courage  bled 
Honorius  firft  the  crowd  addrefs'cl ; 
When  now  our  'Squire,  returning  late, 
Arriv'd  to  aid  the  grand  debate, 
With  ftrange  four  faces  fat  him  down, 
While  thus  the  orator  went  on: 


*  Moderator  is  the  name  commonly  given  to  the  chairman 
or  Speaker  of  the  town-meeting.  He  is  here  feated  in  the 
pulpit. 

f  Minute-men  were  that  part  of  the  militia  of  our  country 
who,  being  drafted  and  enrolled  by  themfelves,  were  prepared 
to  march  at  a  minutes  warning,  where  ever  the  public  fafety 
required. 


SANTO    I,  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L, 

<c — For  ages  bled,  thus  Britain  rofe, 
The  terror  of  encircling  foes  -, 
Her  heroes  rul'd  the  bloody  plain  ; 
Her  conqu'ring  flandard  aw'd  the  main ; 
The  different  palms  her  triumphs  grace. 
Of  arms  in  war,  of  arts  in  peace  : 
Unharrafs'd  by  maternal  care, 
Each  riling  pro  vi  nee  flour ifh'd  fair; 
Whofe  various  wealth  with  lib'ral  hand, 
By  faro'er-paid  the  parent-land. 
But  tho'  fo  bright  her  fun  might  fhine, 
'Twas  quickly  hafling  to  decline, 
With  feeble  rays,  too  weak  t'  afTuage, 
The  damps,  that  chill  the  eve  of  age." 

cc  For  dates,  like  men,  are  doom'd  as  well 
Th' infirmities  of  age  to  feel; 
And  from  their  different  forms  of  empire, 
Are  feiz'd  with  every  deep  diftemper. 
Some  dates  high  fevers  have  made  head  in> 
Which  nought  could  cure  but  copious  bleeding  ^ 
While  others  have  grown  dull  and  dozy, 
Or  fix'd  in  helplefs  idiocy  ; 
Or  turn'd  demoniacs  to  belabour 
Each  peaceful  habitant  and  neighbor  -3 
Or  vex'd  with  hypocondriac  fits, 
Have  broke  their  drength  and  lod  their  wits." 


IO  M<  F  I  N  G  A  L,  CANTO  I, 

cc  Thus  now  while  hoary  years  prevail, 
Good  Mother  Britain  feem'd  to  fail  ; 
Her  back  bent,  crippled  with  the  weight 
Of  age  arid  debts  and  cares  of  ftate  : 
For  debts  fhe  ow'd,  and  thofe  fo  large 
Th^t  twice  her  wealth  could  not  difcharge ; 
And  now  'twas  thought  fo  high  they'd  grown, 
Sh^'d  break,  and  come  upon  the  town*  j 
Her  arms,  of  nations  once  the  dread, 
S!  e  fcarce  could  lift  above  her  head  ; 
Her  deafen'd  ears  ('twas  all  their  hope) 
The  final  trump  perhaps  might  x>pe, 
So  long  they'd  been  in  flupid  mood, 
Shut  to  the  hearing  of  all  good  ; 
Grim  Death  had  put  her  in  his  fcroll, 
Down  on  to  the  execution  roll  ; 
And  Gallic  crows,  as  flie  grew  weaker, 
Began  to  whet  their  beaks  to  pick  her. 
And  now,  her  pow'rs  decaying  faft, 
Her  grand  climacVric  had  fhepaft, 
And  juft  like  all  old  women  elfe, 
Fell  in  the  vapours  much  by  fpells. 
Strange  whimfies  on  her  fancy  flruck, 
And  gave  her  brain  a  difmal  fhock  ; 

*  70  come  upon  the  totem,  that  is  to  become  a  public  charge* 
This  remark  will  ferve  to  explain  many  other  allufioni  to  town* 
rcgulatioas  in  the  courfc  of  this  Poem. 


€AMTO    I.  Mc  T  I  N  G  A  L. 

Her  mem'ry  fails,  her  judgment  ends  ; 
She  quite  forgot  her  neareft  friends  ; 
Loft  all  her  former  fenfe-and  knowledge, 
And  fitted  fafl  for  Beth'lem  college: 
Of  all  the  pow'rs  fhe  once  retain'd, 
Conceit  and  pride  alone  remained. 
As  eve  when  falling  was  fo  modeft 
To  fancy  fhe  fhould  grow  a  .goddefs  ; 
As  madmen,  draw  who  long  have  flept  on, 
Will  flile  them,  Jupiter,  or  Neptune  : 
So  Britain,  'midft  her  airs  fo  flighty, 
Now  took  a  whim  to  be  almighty  ; 
Urg'd  oa  to  defp'rate  heights  of  frenzy, 
Affirm'd  her  own  Omnipotency*  ; 
Would  rather  ruin  all  her  race, 
Than  'bate  Supremacy  an  ace  ; 
Affum'd  all  rights  divine,  as  grown 
The  church's  head,  like  good  pope  Joan  : 
Swore  all  the  world  fhould  bow  and  fkip 
To  her  almighty  Goodyfhip  ; 
Anath'matiz'd  each  unbeliever, 
And  vow'd  to  live  and  rule  for  ever. 
Her  fervants  humor'd  every  whim, 
And  own'd  at  once,  her  power  fupreme, 
Her  follies  pleas'd  in  aU  their  ftages, 


the  aft,  declaring    that  the  King  and  Parliament  had 
fe  a  right  to  bind  the  colonies  in  all  cnft: 


12  M'FINGAL.  CANTO  i 

For  fake  of  legacies  and  wages  ; 

In  ^Stephens  Chafpel  then  in  (late  too 

Set  up  her  Golden  calf  to  pray  to, 

Proclaimed  its  pow'r  and  right  divine. 

And  caird  for  worfhip  at  its  fhrine, 

And  for  poor  Heretics  to  burn  us 

Bade  North  prepare  his  fiery  furnace ; 

Struck  bargains  with  the  Romifh  churches 

Infallibility  to  purchafe ; 

Set  wide  for  Popery  the  door, 

Made  friends  with  Babel's  fcarlet  whore, 

Join'd  both  the  matrons  firm  in  clan  •, 

No  fifters  made  a  better  fpan. 

No  wonder  then,  e'er  this  was  over, 

That  Ihe  ihould  make  her  children  fuffer, 

She  firft  without  pretence  of  i  eafon, 

Claim'd  right  whatever  we  had  to  fcize  on  5 

And  with  determined  refolution, 

To  put  her  claims,  in  execution, 

Sent  fire  and  fword,  and  call'd  it,  Lenity, 

Starv'd  us,  and  chriften'd  it,  Humanity. 

For  fhe,  her  cafe  grown  defperater, 

Miftook  the  plaineft  things  in  nature  ; 

Had  loft  all  ufe  of  eyes  or  wits ; 

Took  flav'ry  for  the  Bill  of  Rights  5 

Trembled  at  whigs  and  deem'd  them  foes, 

And  f:opp'd  at  loyalty  her  nofe  5 

<<  *  The  Parliament-Houfe  is  called  by  that  rarcc," 


CANTO  I.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  I J 

Stil'd  her  own  children,  brats  and  caitiffs, 
And  knew  not  us  from  th*  Indian  natives/' 

"  What  tho*  with  fupplicating  prayer 
We  begg'd  our  lives  and  goods  ihe'd  fpare; 
Not  vainer  vows,  with  fillier  call, 
Elijah's  prophets  rais'd  to  Baal ; 
A  worfhipp'd  flock,  of  god,  or  goddefs, 
Had  better  heard  and  underftood  us. 
So  once  Egyptians  at  the  Nile 
Ador'd  their  guardian  Crocodile, 
Who  heard  them  firft  with  kindefl  ear, 
And  ate  them  to  reward  their  pray'r  -, 
And  could  he  talk,  as  kings  can  do, 
Had  made  as  gracious  fpeeches  too." 

cc  Thus  fpite  of pray'rs  her  fchemes  purfuing, 
She  ftill  went  on  to  work  our  ruin  -y 
Annuird  our  charters  of  releafes, 
And  tore  our  title-deeds  in  pieces ; 
Then  fign'd  her  warrants  of  eje&ion, 
And  gallows  rais'd  to  ftretch  our  necks  on  : 
And  on  thefe  errands  fent  in  rage, 
Her  bailiff,  and  her  hangman,  Gage*, 

*  General  Gage,  commander  in  chief  of  the  king's  troops  in 
North  America,  was  appointed  in  1773  governor  and  vice  ad 
miral  of  Maflachufetts,  in  the  room  of  Hutchinfon,  who  had 
been  the  moft  aftive  agent  of  the  Miniiler,  in  fomenting  the  dif- 
putes  which  brought  on  the  war. 

The  character  and  conduft  of  Gage  is  defcribed  with  great 
juftice  in  the  fubfequent  part  of  this  fpcech  of  Honorius. 


14  Mc  F  I  N  S  A  L.  CANTO    I, 

And  at  his  heels,  like  dogs  to  bait  us, 
Difpatch'd  her  Poffe  Comitafus." 

<c  No  ftate  e'er  chofe  a  fitter  perfon, 
To  carry  fuch  a  fijly  farce  on. 
As  Heathen  gods  in  ancient  days 
Received  at  fecond-hand  their  praife, 
Stood  imag'd  forth  in  (tones  and  ftocks, 
And  deified  in  barber's  blocks ; 
So  Gage  was  chofe  to  reprefent 
Th*  omnipotence  of  parliament. 
And  as  old  heroes  gain'd;  by  fhifts, 
From  gods,  as  poets  tell,,  their  giftsa 
Our  Gen'ral,  as  his  actions  fhow 
Gain'd  like  affiftance  from  below, 
By  Satan  grac'd  with  full  fupplies, 
From  all  his  magazine  of  lies. 
Yet  could  his  practice  ne'er  impart 
The  wit,  to  tell  a  lie  with  art. 
Thofe  lies  alone  are  formidable, 
Where  artful  truth  is  mixt  with  fable  ; 
But  Gage  has  bungled  oft  fo  vilely, 
No  foul  could  credit  lies  fo  filly  ; 
Outwent  all  faith,  and  ftrctchjd  beyond 
Credulity's  extremeft  end. 
Whence  plain  it  feems,  tho'  Satan  once 
O'erlookM  with  Icorn  each  brainlefs  dunce, 
And  blundYmg  brutes  in  Eden  (hunning, 
Chofe  out  the  ferpent  for  his  cunnings 


CANTO    I.  M'FINGAU  If 

Of  late  he  is  not  half  fo  nice, 

Nor  pick'd  affiflants,  'caufe  they're  wife. 

For  had  he  ftood  upon  perfe&ion, 

His  prefent  friends  had  loft  th'  ele&ion, 

And  far'd  as  hard  in  the  proceeding, 

As  owls  and  affes  did  in  Eden." 

"  Yet  fools  are  often  dang'rous  enemies, 
As  meaneft  reptiles  are  moft  venomous ; 
Nor  e'er  could  Gage,  by  craft  or  prowefs, 
Have  done  a  whit  more  mifchief  to  us, 
Since  he  began  th'  unnatural  war, 
The  tvork  his  mafters  fent  him  for." 

"  And  are  there  in  this  free-born  land 
Among  curfelves,  a  venal  bane], 
A  daftard  race,  who  long  have  fold 
Their  fouls  and  confciences  for  gold; 
Who  wifh  to  flab  their  country's  vitals, 
If  they  might  heir  furviving  titles ; 
With  joy  behold  our  mifchief  brewing, 
Infult  and  triumph  in  our  ruin  ? 
Priefts,  who  if  Satan  fhould  fit  down 
To  make  a  Bible  of  his  own, 
Would  gladly  for  the  fake  of  mitres, 
Turn  hisinfpir'd  and  facred  writers; 
Lawyers,  who  fhould  he  wifli  to  prove, 
His  title  t'  his  old  feat  above, 
Would,  if  his  caufe  he'd  give'em  fees  in, 


j6  Mc  F  I  N  0  A  L.  €ANT©    I. 

Bring  writs  of  Entry  fur  diffefm, 

Plead  for  him  boldly  at  the  fefiion, 

And  hope  to  put  him  in  poflefTion  ; 

Merchants,  who  for  his  kindly  aid, 

Would  make  him  partner  in  their  trade', 

Hang  out  their  figns  with  goodly  fhow, 

Infcrib'd  with  «  Belzelub  and  Co" 

And  judges  who  would  lift  his  pages, 

For  proper  liveries  and  wages  -, 

And  who,  as  humbly  cringe  and  bow, 

To  all  his  mortal  fervants  now. 

There  are,  and  fhame  with  pointing  geftures, 

Marks  out  th'  AddrefTers  and  Protefters*  : 

Whom  following  down  the  ftream  of  Fate, 

Contempts  ineffable  await, 

And  public  infamy  forlorn, 

Dread  hate  and  everlafting  fcorn." 

As  thus  he  fpake,  our  'Squire  McFingal 
Gave  to  his  partizans  a  fignal. 
Not  quicker  roll'd  the  waves  to  land, 
When  Mofes  wav'd  his  potent  wand, 
Nor  with  more  uproar,  than  the  Tories 
Set  up   a  gen'ral  rout  in  chorus  ; 

*  The  ADDRESSERS  were  thofe  who  addrefled  General  Gage 
with  expreffions  of  gratitude  and  attachment,  on  his  arrival  with 
a  fleet  and  army  to  fubdue  the  colonies.  The  PROTESTERS 
were  thofe  who  protefted  againft  the  meafures  of  the  firft  COB- 
grefs,  and  the  general  refolutionsof  the  country. 


TOWN"  T W& 


CANTO    I.  U(  F  I  N  G  A  L.  17 

Laugh'd,  hifs'd,  hem'd,   murmur'd,   groaned,  and 
Honorius  now  could  fcarce  be  heard,  [jeer'dj 

Our  Mufe  amid  th'  increafing  roar, 

Could  not  diftinguifh  ons  word  more: 

Tho'  fhe  fat  by,  in  firm  record 

To  take  in  fhort  hand  ev'ry  word ; 

As  ancient  Mufes  wont,  to  whom 

Old  bards  for  depositions  come  -, 

Who  muft  have  writ  'em  ;  for  how  elfe 

Could  they  each  fpeech  verbatim  tell 's  ? 

And  tho'  fome  readers  of  romances 

Are  apt  to  ftrain  their  tortur'd  fances, 

And  doubt  when  lovers  all  alone 

Their  fad foliloquies  do  groan, 

Grieve  many  a  page  with  no  one  near  'em, 

And  naught  but  rocks  and  groves  to  hear  'em, 

What  fprite  infernal  could  have  tattled 

And  told  the  authors  all  they  prattled  ;     * 

Whence  fome  weak  minds  have  made  objection, 

That  what  they  fcribbled  muft  be  fiction  ; 

'Tis  falfe*  for  while  the  lovers  fpoke, 

The  Mufe  was  by  with  table  book  ; 

And,  left  fome  blunder  might  enfue, 

Echoftood  clerk,  and  kept  the  cue. 

And  tho'  the  fpeech  ben't  worth  a  groat, 

As  ufual,  'tisn't  the  author's  fault, 

D 


I  3  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    I. 

But  error  merely  of  the  prater. 

Who  fhould  have  talk'd  to  th'  purpofe  betters 

Which  full  excufe,  my  critic-brothers, 

May  help  me  out  as  well  as  others  ; 

And  'tis  defign'd,  tho'  here  it  lurk, 

To  ferve  as  preface  to  this  work. 

So  let  it  be — for  now  our  'Squire 

No  longer  could  contain  his  ire  ; 

And  riling  'midft  applauding  Tories, 

Thus  vented  wrath  upon  Honorius. 

Quoth  he, tc  'Tis  wond'rous  what  ftrange  fluff 

Your  W7higs-heads  are  compounded  of; 

Which  force  of  logic  cannot  pierce 
Nor  fyllogiftic  carte  &?  tierce* 
Nor  weight  cf  fcripture  or  of  reaibn, 
Suffice  to  make  the  leaft  imprefHon. 
Noc  heeding  what  ye  rais'd  conteil  on, 
Ye  prate,  and  beg  or  (teal  the  queftion  ; 
And  when  your  bonded  arguings  fail, 
Strait  leave  all  reas-'ning  off,  to  rail. 
Have  not  our  High-Church  Clergy  made  it 
Appear  from  fciiptures,  which  ye  credit, 
That  right  divine  from  heaven,  was  lent, 
To  kings,  that  is,  the  Parliament, 
Their  fubjects  to  opprefs  and  teaze, 
And  ferve  the  Devil  when  they  pleafe  ? 
Did  they  not  write,  and  pray,  and  preach, 
And  torture  all  the  parts  of  fpeech ; 


CANTO    I.  Mc  FIN  GAL.  15 

About  Rebellion  make  a  pother, 

From  one  end  of  the  land  to  th'  other  ? 

And  yet  gain'd  fewer  pros'lyte  Whigs, 

Than  old  *  St.  Anth'ny  'mongft  the  pigs  j 

And  chang'd  not  half  fo  many  vicious 

As  Auftin,  when  he  preach'd  to  fifties ; 

Who  throng'd  to  hear,  the  legend  tells, 

Were  edified  and  wagg'd  their  tails ; 

But  fcarce  you'd  prove  it,  if  you  tried, 

That  e'er  one  whig  was  edified, 

Have  ye  not  heard  from  f  Parfoa  Walter 

Much  dire  prefage  of  many  a  halter? 

What  warnings  had  ye  of  your  duty 

From  our  old  Rev'rend  j-Sam.  Auchmuty  ? 

From  priefts  of  all  degrees  and  metres, 

TJ  our  f^g-ead  man  poor  *Perfon  Peters  ?  / 

Have  not  our  Cooper  and  our  Seabury 

Sung  hymns,  like  Barak  and  old  Deborah  ; 

*  "  The  ftories  of  St.  Anthony  anrf  his  pig,  and  St.  Auftin's 
preaching  to  fifhes,  are  told  in  the  Poplfh  legends." 

i  *'  High-Church  Clergymen,  one  at  Bofton,  and  one  at 
New  York." 

*"  Peters,  a  Tory-Clergyman  in  Connecticut,  who  after 
making  himfelf  detellahie  by  his  inimical  conduct,  abfconded 
from  the  contempt,  rather  than  the  vengeance  of  his  countrymen^ 
and  fled  to  England  to  make  complaints  a^ainll  that  colony,1 
Cooper,  a  writer,  poet,  and  fatyrilt  of  the  fame  ftamp,  Prefidenf 
of  the  college  at  New- York  j  Seabury,  a  clergyman  of  thefam-' 
Province," 


2O  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    I, 

Prov'd  all  intrigues  to  fet  you  free, 
Rebellion  'gainft  the  pow'rs  that  be  ; 
Brought  over  many  afcripture  text 
That  us'd  to  wink  at  rebel  feels ; 
Coax'd  wayward  ones  to  favor  regents, 
Or  paraphras'd  them  to  obedience ; 
Prov'd  ev'ry  king,  ev'n  thofc  confeft 
Horns  of  th'  Apocalyptic  beaft, 
And  fprouting  from  its  noddles  feven, 
Ordain'd,  as  bilhops  are,  by  Heaven, 
(For  reafons  fim'lar  we  are  told, 
That  Tophet  was^ordain'd  of  old  $) 
By  this  lay-ord' nation  valid 
Becomes  all  fanclirled  and  hallow'd, 
Takes  patent  out  when  Heav'n  has  fign'd  it3 
And  flarts  up  ftrait  the  Lord's  anointed  ? 
Like  extreme  unction,  that  can  cleanfe 
Each  penitent  from  deadly  fins, 
Make  them  run  glib,  when  oil'd  by  pried, 
The  heavenly  road  like  wheels  new  greas'd. 
Serve  them  like  fhoeball,  for  defences 
'Gainft  wear  and  tear  of  conferences  : 
So  king's  anointment  cleans  betimes, 
Like  fuller's  earth,  all  fpots  of  crimes  -, 
For  future  knav'ries  gives  commiflions, 
Like  Papifts  finning  under  licence. 
For  heaven  ordain'd  the  origin, 
Divin-es  declare,  of  pain  and  fin  $ 


CANTO    I.  M*  F  I  N  G  A  L. 

t 

Prove  fuch  great  good  they  both  have  done  us, 

Kind  mercy  'twas  they  came  upon  us  : 

For  without  pain  and  fin  and  folly 

Man  ne'er  were  bled,  or  wife,  or  holy  ; 

And  we  fhould  *thank  the  Lord,,  'tis  fo, 

As  authors  grave  wrote  long  ago. 

Now  Heav'n  its  ifTues  never  brings 

Without  the  means,  andthefe  are  kings  ; 

And  he  who  blames  when  they  announce  ills, 

Would  counteract  the  eternal  counfels. 

As  when  the  Jews,  a  murm'ring  race, 

By  confrant  grumblings  fell  from  grace, 

Heav'n  taught  them  ftrfb  to  know  their  diftance 

By  famine,  flav'ry,  and  Philiftines  ; 

When  thefe  could  no  repentance  bring, 

In  wrath  it  fent  them  lad  asking, 

So  nineteen,  'tis  believ'd,  in  twenty 

Of  modern  kings  for  plagues  arefcntye; 

Nor  can  your  cavillers  pretend", 

But  that  they  anfwerwell  their  end. 

*Tis  yours  to  yield  to  their  command, 

As  rods  in  Providence's  hand  -, 

And  if  it  means  to  fend  you  pain, 

You  turn  your  nofes  up  in  vain  : 

Your  only  wiy's  in  peace  to  bear  it, 

And  make  neceflity  a  merit. 

*  "  Sej  the  Modern  Metaphyfical  Divinity. 


22  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    I, 

Hence  fure  perdition  muft  await 
The  man  who  rifes  'gainfl  the  (late, 
Who  meets  at  once  the  damning  fentence. 
Without  one  loop-hole  for  repentance  -, 
E'en  tho*  he  gain'd  the  royal  fee, 
And  rank  among  the  powers  that  be : 
For  hell  is  theirs,  the  Scripture  (hows. 
Whoe'er  the  powers  that  be  oppofe, 
And  all  thofe  pow'rs  (I  am  clear  that  'tis  fo) 
Are  damn'd  forever,  ex  afficio." 

Cf  Thus  far  our  Clergy  ;  but  'tis  true, 
We  lack'd  not  earthly  reas'ners  too. 
Had  I  the  *Poet's  brazen  lungs 
As  found-board  to  his  hundred  tongues, 
I  could  not  half  the  fcribblers  rnufcer 
That  fwarm'd  round  Rivington  j-  in  clufler  -, 
Afiemblies,  Councilmen,  forfooth ; 
Brufh,  Cooper,  Wilkins,  Chandler,  Booth, 
Yet  all  their  arguments  and  fap'cnce, 
You  did  not  value  at  three  half-pence. 
Did  not  our  Maffachufettenfis  J 
For  your  conviction  ftrain  his  fenfes  ? 

*  "  Virgil's  .Eneid,  6th  book,  line  6  25." 

+  The  Editor  of  the  Royal  Gazette  in  New- York  ;  a  paper 
which  anfwered  very  well  to  its  title,  it  being  filled  with  thofe 
impofitions  and  falfehoods,  which  are  deemed  neceiTiry  to  the 
fupport  of  Royalty,  in  any  country  where  printing  is  tolerated. 

J  'See  acourfe  of  effays,  under  the  fignature  oi  Maflkhufetten-fis/ 


CANT;O  i.  MC  F  i  N  G  A  L,  23 

Scrawl  every  moment  he  could  fpare, 
From  cards  and  barbers  and  the  fair; 
Show  clear  as  fun  in  noon-day  heavens* 
You  did  not  feel  a  fingle  grievance  ; 
Demonftrate  all  your  oppofition 
Sprung  from  the  *  eggs  of  foul  fedition ; 
Swear  he  had  feen  the  neflfhe  laid  in, 
And  knew  how  long  fhe  had  been  fitting  ; 
Could  tell  exact  what  ftrength  of  heat  is 
Requh  'd  to  hatch  her  out  Committees  ; 
What  fhapes  they  take,  and  how  much  longer's 
The  fpace  before  they  grow  t'  a  Congrefs  ? 
New  white- wafh'd  Hutchinfon ,  and  varnilh'd 
Our  Gage  who'd  got  a  little  tarnidi'd ; 
Made  'em  new  mafks,  in  time  no  doubt, 
For  Hutchinfon's  was  quite  worn  out; 
And  while  he  muddled  all  his  head, 
You  did  not  heed  a  word  he  faid. 
Did  notourgrave  j- Judge  Sewallhit 
The  fummit  of  news  paper  wit  ? 


*  "  Committees  of  Correfpondence  are  the  fouleft  and  moft 
venomous  ferpent,  that  ever  iffued  from  the  eggs  of  fedition," 
&c.  .  Maflachufettenfis. 

f  <f  Attorney-General  of  Maflachufetts-Bay,  a  Judge  of  Ad 
miralty,  Gage's  chief  Advertifer  and  Proclamation-maker, 
author  of  a  farce  called  the  Americans  Rouzed,  and  of  a  great 
variety  of  effays  on  the  Minifterial  fide,  in  the  Bofton  news 
papers." 


£4  MCFINGAL.  CANTO  I, 

Fill'd  every  leaf  of  ev'ry  paper* 

Of  Mills,  and  Hicks,  and  Mother  Draper: 

Drew  proclamations,  works  of  ±oil, 

In  true  fublime,  of  fcare-crow  ftyle  ; 

Wrote  farces  too,  'gainft  Sons  of  Freedom, 

All  for  your  good,  and  none  would  read  'em  ; 

Denounced  damnation  on  their  frenzy, 

Who  died  in  Whig-impenitency  •, 

Affirm'd  that  Heav'n  would  lend  us  aid, 

As  all  our  Tory  writers  faid  ; 

And  calculated  fo  its  kindnefs, 

fie  told  the  moment  when  it  join'd  us. 
"  'Twas  then  belike,  Honorius  cried, 

When  you  the  public  fall  defied, 

Refus'cl  to  Heav'n  to  raife  a  prayer. 
Becaufe  you'd  no  connections  there  : 
And  (ince  with  rev'rend  hearts  and  faces, 
To  Governors  you'd  made  addrefles, 
In  them  who  made  you  Tories,  feeing 
You  liv'd  and  mov'd  and  had  your  being ; 
Your  humble  vows  you  would  not  breathe 
Topow'rs  you'd  no  acquaintance  with." 

"  As  for  your  fafts,  replied  our  'Squire, 
What  circumftance  could  fafts  require  ? 
We  kept  them  not,  but  'twas  no  crime ; 
We  held  them  merely  lofs  of  time. 


CANTO    I.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  25 

For  what  advantage  firm  and  lafting, 

Pray,  did  you  ever  get  by  fading? 

And  what  the  gains  that  can  arifc 

From  vows  and  ofPrings  to  the  fkies; 

Will  Heav'n  reward  with  pofts  and  fees, 

Or  fend  us  Tea,  as  Confignees*, 

Give  penfions,  fal'ries,  places,  bribes, 

Or  chufe  us  judges,  clerks,  or  fcribes, 

Has  it  commiffions  in  its  gift, 

Or  cafh  to  ferve  us  at  a  life  ? 

Are  acts  of  Parliament  there  made, 

To  carry  on  the  Placeman's  trade  ? 

Or  has  it  pafs'd  a  fingle  bill 

To  let  us  plunder  whom  we  will  ? 

And  look  our  lift  of  Placemen  all  over  •, 

Did  Heav'n  appoint  our  chief  judge  Oliver, 

Fill  that  high  bench  with  ignoramus  ; 

Or  has  its  councils  by  mandamus  ? 

Who  made  that  wit  of  f  water  gruel, 

A  Judge  of  Admiralty,  Sewall  ? 

And  were  they  not  mere  earthly  flruggles, 

That  rais'd  up  Murray,  fay,  and  Ruggles  ? 

*  Alluding  to  the  famous  cargo  of  tea,  which  was  funk  in 
Bolton  Harbor,  the  Confignees  of  which  were  the  tools  of 
General  Gage. 

t  "  A  proper  emblem  of  his  genius". 

E 


26  M€W  INGAL.  CANTO    I, 

Did  Heav'n  fend  down,  our  pains  to  med'cine, 
That  old  fimplicity  of  Edfon  j 
Or  by  election  pick  out  from  us, 
That  MarMeld  blund'rer  Nat.  Ray  Thomas  : 
Or  had  it  any  hand  in  ferving 
A  Loring'  Pepp'rell,  Browne,  or  Erving  ?'* 
"  Yet  we've  fome  faints,  the  very  thing, 
We'll  put  againft  the  beft  you'll  bring. 
For,  can  the  ftrongeft  fancy  paint 
Than  Hutchinfon  a  greater  faint  ? 
Was  there  aparfon  us'd  to  pray 
At  times  more  reg'lar,  twice  a  day ; 
As  folks  exact  have  dinners  got, 
Whether  they've  apetitesor  not  ? 
Was  there  a  zealot  more  alarming 
'Gainft  puplic  vice  to  hold  forth  fermon, 
Or  fix'd  at  church,  whofe  inward  motion 
Roli'd  up  his  eyes  with  more  devotion  ? 
What  Puritan  could  ever  pray 
In  Godlier  tone,  than  Treasurer  *  Gray, 
Or  at  town-meetings  fpeechify'ng, 
Could  utter  more  melodious  whine, 
Andlhuthis  eyes  and  vent  his  moan, 
Like  owl  affiifted  in  the  fun  ? 

*  •"  Treafurer  of  MafTachufetts-Bay,  and  one  of  the  Manda 
mus  Council." 


CANTO    I.  Mf  F  I  N  G  A  L.  £7 

Who  once  lent  home  his  canting  rival, 
Lord  Dartmouth's  felf,  might  out-be-drivel." 

"  Have  you  forgot,  Honorius  cried, 
How  your  prime  faint  the  truth  defied  *, 
Affirm5  d  he  never  wrote  a  line, 
Your  chartered  rights  to  undermine; 
When  his  own  letters  then  were  by, 
That  prov'd  his  mefiage  all  a  lie  ? 
How  many  promifes  he  feal'd 
To  get  the  oppreffive  a6h  repcal'd  ; 
Yet  once  arrived  on  England's  fhore, 
Set  on  the  Premier  to  pafs  no  more  ? 
But  thefe  are  no  defects,  we  grant, 
In  a  right  loyal  Tory  faint, 
Whofe  Godlike  virtues  muft  with  eafe 
Atone  fuch  venal  crimes  as  thefe  : 
Or  ye  perhaps  in  Scripture  fpy 
A  new  Commandment, "  Thou  {halt  lie ;" 
And  if 't  be  fo  (as  who  can  tell  ?) 
There's  no  one  fure  ye  keep  fo  well.'* 

"  Quoth  he,  For  lies  and  promife  breaking 
Ye  need  not  be  in  fuch  a  taking, 
For  tying  is,  we  know  and  teach, 
The  higheft  privilege  of  fpeech  -, 

*  The  deteftion  of  falfhood  in  Governor  Hutchinfon,  here 
alluded  to,  is  a  curious  little  hiltory.  It  is  told  at  large  in  trhe 
Rimembrancer,  publilhcd  by  Almon,  V,  I, 


28  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L  CANTO    I. 

The  univerfal  Magna  Charta, 

To  which  all  human  race  is  party  ; 

Whence  children  firft,  as  David  fays, 

Lay  claim  to  Jt  in  their  earlieil  days  5 

The  only  flratagem  in  war 

Our  Gen'rals  have  occafion  for  $ 

The  only  freedom  of  the  prefs 

Our  politicians  need  in  peace  : 

And  'tis  afhameyou  wifh  t'  abridge  us 

Of  theie  our  darling  privileges. 

Thank  Heav'n,  your  fhot  have  mik'd  their  aim, 

For  lying  is  no  fin,  or   fharne." 

*c  As  men  laft  wills  may  change  again, 
Tho'  drpwn  in  name  of  God,  Amen  ; 
Befure  they  muft  have  much  the  more, 
O'erpromifes  as  great  a  pow'r, 
Which,  made  in  hade,  with  fmall  inflection, 
So  much  the  more  will  need  correction  $ 
And  when  they've  rarelefs  fpoke,  or  penn'd'em* 
Have  right  to  look  *em  o'er  and  mend  'em  j 
Revife  their  vows,  or  change  the  text, 
By  way  of  codicil  annex'd, 
Turn  out  a  pronvfe,  that  was  bafe, 
And  put  a  better  in  its  place. 
So  Gage,  of  late  agreed,  you  know, 
To  let  the  Bofion  people  go  5 


CANTO    I,  MCFINGAL.  29 

Yet  when  he  faw,  'gainft  troops  thatbrav'd  him, 
They  were  the  only  guards  that  fav'd  him, 
Kept  off  that  Satan  of  a  Putnamt, 
From  breaking  in  to  maul  and  mutt'n  him : 
He'd  too  much  wit  luch  leagues  t'  obferve, 
Andlhut  them  in  again  to  ftarve." 

"So  Mofes  writes,  when  female  Jews 
Made  oaths  and  vows  unfit  for  ufe, 
Their  parents  then  might  fet  them  free 
From  that  confc'entious  tyranny  : 
And  fhall  men  feel  that  fpir'tual  bondage 
Forever,  when  they  grow  beyond  age ; 
Nor  have  pow'r  their  own  oaths  to  change  ? 
I  think  the  tale  were  very  flrange. 
Shall  vows  but  bind  the  ftout  and  ftrong, 
And  let  go  women  weak  and  young, 
As  nets  enclofe  the  larger  crew, 
And  let  the  fmaller  fry  creep  thro*  ? 
Befides,  the  Whigs  have  all  been  fet  on, 
The  Tories  to  affright  and  threaten, 
Till  Gage  amidfl  his  trembling  fits, 
Has  hardly  kept  him  in  his  wits  5 


*r  General  Putnam  of  Connecticut,  who  had  gained  great 
reputation,  as  a  Partizan  officer,  in  the  war  before  laft,  came 
forward  with  aftivity  in  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  indepen 
dence;  but  his  age  and  infirmities  obliged  him  foon  to  quit 
the  field. 


3<>  Mf  FIN  GAL.  CANTO  I. 

And  tho'  he  fpeak  with  art  and  fineffe, 
*Tis  faid  beneath  durejs  per  minas. 
For  we're  in  peril  of  our  fouls 
From  feathers,  tar,  and  lib'rty-poles  : 
And  vows  extorted  are  not  binding 
In  law,  and  fo  not  worth  the  minding. 
For  we  have  in  this  hurly-burly 
Sent  off  our  conferences  on  furlow  : 
Thrown  our  religion  o'er  in  form, 
Our  fhip  to  lighten  in  the  ftorm. 
Nor  need  we  blufh  your  Whigs  before  j 
If  we've  no  virtue,  youVe  no  more." 

"  Yet  black  with  fins,  would  ftain  a  mitre, 
Rail  ye  at  crimes  by  ten  tints  whiter  ? 
And  ftufPd  with  choler  atrabilious, 
Infult  us  here  for  peccadilloes  ? 
While  all  your  vices  run  fo  high 
That  mercy  fcarce  could  find  fupply  : 
While,  fhould  you  offer  to  repent, 
You'd  need  more  fading  days  than  Lent, 
More  groans  than  haunted  church-yard  vallics, 
And  more  cofifeflions  than  broad-alleys*. 
I'll  fhow  you  all  at  fitter  time, 
Th'  extent  and  greatnefs  of  your  crime, 

*  Alluding  to  church-dicipline,  where  a  perfon  is  obliged  to 
ftand  in  the  ileof  the  church,    called  the  broad-alley,  name  the 
offence  of  which  he  has  been   guilty,  and  aik  pardon  of  his 
brethren, 


CANTO   1.  MCFINGAL.  3! 

And  here  demonftrate  to  your  face, 
Your  want  of  virtue,  as  of  grace, 
Evinc'd  from  topics  old  and  recent : 
But  thus  much  muft  fuffice  at  prefent, 
To  th*  after  portion  of  the  day, 
I  leave  what  more  remains  to  fay ; 
When  I've  good  hope  you'll  all  appear, 
More  fitted  and  prepared  to  hear, 
And  griev'dfor  all  your  vile  demeanour  : 
But  now  *tis  time  t'  adjourn  for  dinner." 


END   OF    THE    FIRST    CANTO. 


M'F    I    N    G    A   L: 

CANTO    SECOND. 

The  Town-Meeting,  P.  M. 


T 


HE  Sun,  who  never  Hops  to  dine, 
Two  hours  had  pafs'd  the  mid-way  line  ; 
And,  driving  at  his  ufual  rate, 
Lafh'd  on  his  downward  car  of  ftate  ; 
And  now  expired  the  fhort  vacation, 
And  dinner  done  in  epic  fafhion  •, 
While  all  the  crew  beneath  the  trees, 
Eat  pocket-pies  or  bread  and  cheefe  i 
Nor  fhall  we,  like  old  Homer,  care 
To  verfify  the  bill  of  fare. 
For  now  each  party,  feafted  well, 
Throng'd  in,  like  fheep,  at  found  of  bell, 
With  equal  fpirit  took  their  places  ; 
And  meeting  op'd  \\ith  three  Oh  yefles  : 

E 


34  Mf  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO  II. 

When  firft  the  daring  Whigs  t'  oppofe. 
Again  the  great  M4'Fingal  rofe, 
Stretch 'd  magiftcrial  arm  amain, 
And  thus  affum'd  th'  accufing  ftrain. 

"  Ye  Whigs  attend,  and  hear,  affrighted, 
The  crimes  whereof  ye  iland  indidedj 
The  fins  and  folly  pafl  all  compafs, 
That  prove  you  guilty,  or  non  compos*    *-*\&&Mv\ 
I  leave  the  verdict  to  your  fenfes, 
And  Jury  of  your  confciences  ; 
Which  tho'  they're  neither  good  nor  true, 
Mud  yet  convict  you  and  your  crew, 
Ungrateful  fons !   a  factious  band, 
That  rife  againft  your  parent-land  ! 
Ye  viper  race,  that  burft  in  ilrife, 
The  welcome  womb  that  gave  you  life, 
Tear  with  fharp  fangs,  and  forked  tongue, 
Th'  indulgent  bowels,  whence  you  fpr-ung,; 
And  fcorn  the  debt  of  obligation, 
You  juftly  owe  the  Britilh  nation, 
Which  fmce  you  cannot  pay,  your  crew 
Affect  to  fwear  'twas  never  due. 

"  Did  not  the  deeds  of  England's  Primate* 
Firft  drive  your  fathers  to  this  climate, 


*  The  perfecu tions  of  the  Englifli  Church  under  Archbifhop 
Laud,  are  well  known  to  have  been  the  caufe  of  the  peopli»£ 
of  New- England. 


CANTO    II.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  35 

Whom  jails,  and  fines,  and  ev'ry  ill 
Forc'd  to  their  good  againil  their  will  ? 
Ye  owe  to  their  obliging  temper 
The  peopling  your  new-fangled  empire^ 
While  every  Britilri  ad  and  canon 
Stood  forth,  you  caujafine  qua  non* 
Did  they  not  fend  you  charters  o'er, 
And  give  you  lands  you  own'd  before, 
Permit  you  all  to  fpill  your  blood, 
And  drive  out  heathen  where  you  could  ; 
On  thefe  mild  terms,  that,  conqueft  won, 
The  realm  you  gain'd  fhould  be  their  own?^ 
Or  when  of  late,  attacked  by  thofe, 
Whom  her  connexion  made  your  foesf, 
Did  they  no  t  then,  diftreft  in  war, 
Send  Gen'rals  to  your  help  from  far, 
Whofe  aid  you  own'd  in  terms  lefs  haughty, 
And  thankfully  overpaid  your  quota  ? 
Say,  at  what  period  did  they  grudge 
To  fend  you  Governor  or  Judge, 


t  The  war  of  177?,  between  the  Engiim  and  the  FrencH 
was  doubtlefs  excited  by  circumftances  foreign  to  the  intercfts 
of  the  colonies  which  now  form  the  United  States.  The  colo 
nies,  however,  paid  more  than  their  proportion  of  the  expence, 
and  the  balance  was  repaid  by  the  Britifli  government,  after  the 
war.. 


36  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    I  ft 

With  all  their  miffionary  crew*, 
To  teach  you  law  and  gofpel  too  ? 
Brought  o'er  all  felons  in  the  nation, 
To  help  you  on  in  population, 
Propos'd  their  Bifhops  to  furrender, 
And  made  their  Priefts  a  legal  tender," 
Who  only  a(k'd,  infurplice  clad, 
The  fimple  tythe  of  all  you  had : 
And  now  to  keep  all  knaves  in  awe, 
Have  fent  their  troops  t*  eftablifh  law, 
And  with  gunpowder,  fire,  and  ball, 
Reform  your  people  one  and  all. 
Yet,  when  their  infolence  and  pride 
Have  anger'd  all  the  world  befide, 
When  fear  and  want  at  once  invade, 
Can  you  refufe  to  lend  them  aid  5 
And  rather  rifque  your  heads  in  fight, 
Than  gratefully  throw  in  your  mite  ? 
Can  they  for  debts  make  fatisfaction, 
Should  they"  difpofe  their  realm  by  auction ; 
And  fell  off  Britain's  goods  and  land  ail 
To  France  and  Spain  by  inch  of  candle  ? 
Shall  good  king  George,  with  want  oppreft, 
Infert  his  name  in  bankrupt  lift, 

*  The  Miflionaries  were  clergymen,  ordained  by  the  Bifhopof 
London,  and  fettled  in  America.  Thofe  in  the  Northern  Co 
lonies  were  generally  attached  to  the  Royal  caufe. 


CANTO    II.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L. 

And  fhut  up  fliop,  like  failing  merchant, 
That  fears  the  bailiffs  fhould  make  fearch  in't  5 
With  poverty  ihall  princes  ftrive, 
And  nobles  lack  whereon  to   live  ? 
Have  they  not  wreck'd  their  whole  inventions, 
To  feed  their  brats  on  pofts  and  penfions, 
Made  e'en  Scotch  friends  with  taxes  groan, 
And  pick'd  poor  Ireland  to  the  bone  j 
Yet  have  on  hand,  as  well  deferving, 
Ten  thoufand  baflards  left  for  ftarving  ? 
And  can  you  now,  with  confcience  clear, 
Refufe  them  an  afylum  here, 
Or  not  maintain  in  manner  fitting 
v  Thefe  genuine  fons  of  Mother  Britain  ? 
T*  evade  thefe  crimes  of  blacked  grain, 
You  prate  of  Liberty  in  vain, 
And  ftrive  to  hide  your  vile  defigns, 
With  terms  abftrufe,  like  fchool-divines. 

"  Your  boafted  patriotifm  is  fcarce, 
Your  country's  love  is  but  a  farce : 
And  after  all  the  proofs  you  bring, 
We  Tories  know  there's  no  fuch  thing  j 
Our  Englifh  writers  of  great  fame 
Prove  public  virtue   but  a  name. 
Hath  not  *  Dalrymple  fhow'd  in  print, 
And  *  Jphnfon  too,  there's  nothing  in't  ? 

*  "  Miniflerial  Penfioners." 


3&  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO   I 

Produced  you  demonftration  ample, 
From  other's  and  their  own  example, 
That  felf  is  ftill,  in  either  faction, 
The  only  principle  of  a&ion ; 
The  loadftone,  whofe  attra&ing  tether 
Keeps  the  politic  world  together  : 
And,  fpiteof  all  your  double-dealing, 
We  Tories  know  'tis  fo,  by  feeling. 

"  Who  heeds  your  babbling  of  tranfmitting 
Freedom  to  brats  of  your  begetting, 
Or  will  proceed  as  tho'  there  were  a  tie,,  s  Jo 
Or  obligation  to  pofterity  ? 
We  get  'em,  bear  5em,   breed  and  nurfe ; 
What  has  poft'rity  done  for  us, 
That  we,  left  they  theif  rights  fhould  lofe, 
Should  truft  our  necks  to  gripe  of  noofe  ? 

"And  who  believes  you  will  not  run  ? 
You're  cowards,  evVy  mother's  fon  ; 
And  fhould  you  offer  to  deny, 
We've  witnefles  to  prove  it  by. 
Attend  th'  opinion  firft,  as  referee, 
Of  your  old  Gen'ral,  flout  Sir  Jeffery,  •'  ' 
Whofwore  that  with  five  thoufandfoot 
He'd  rout  you  all,  and,  in  purfuit, 
Run  thro*  the  land  as  eafily, 
As  camel  thro'  a  needle's  eye. 
Did  not  the  valiant  Col'nel  Grant 
Againft  your  courage  make  his  llant, 


6ANTO  II.  M<  F  I  N  C  A  t» 

Affirm  your  univerfal  failure 

In  ev'ry  principle  of  valour, 

And  fwear  no  fcamp'rers  e'er  could  match  you, 

So  fwift,  a  bullet  fcarce  could  catch  you  ? 

And  will  ye  not  confefs  in  this, 

A  judge  mod  competent  he  is, 

Well  fkill'd  on  runnings  to  decide, 

As  whathimfelfhas  often  tried  ? 

'Twould  not,  methinks,  be  labor  loft, 

If  you'd  fit  down  and  count  the  coft ; 

And  e're  you  call  your  Yankies  out, 

Firfl  think  what  work  you Ve  fet  about. 

Have  ye  not  rouz'd,  his  force  to  try  on, 

That  grim  old  beaft,  the  Britifh  Lion? 

And  know  you  not  that  at  a  fup 

He's  large  enough  to  eat  you  up  ? 

Have  you  furvey'd  his  jaws  beneath, 

Drawn  inventories  of  his  teeth, 

Or  have  you  weigh'd  in  even  balance 

His  flrength  and  magnitude  of  talons  ? 

His  roar  would  turn  your  boafts  to  fear, 

As  eafily  as  four  fmall-beer, 

And  make  your  feet  from  dreadful  fray, 

By  native  inflincl:,  run  away. 

Britain,  depend  on't,  will  take  on  her 

T'  afTert  her  dignity  and  honor, 

And  e're  fhe'd  lofe  your  lhare  of  pelf, 

Deflroy  your  country,  and  herfelf. 


4O  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    II. 

For  has  not  North  declared  they  fight 
To  gain  fubftantial  rev'nue  by't, 
Denied  he'd  ever  deign  to  treat, 
'Till  on  your  knees,  and  at  his  feet  ? 
And  feel  you  not  a  trifling  ague, 
From  Van's  Delenda  eft  Carthago*  f 
For  this,  now  Britain  has  come  to't, 
Think  you  fhe  has  not  means  to  do't  ? 
Has  fhe  not  fet  to  work  all  engines 
To  fpirit  up  the  native  Indians, 
Send  on  your  backs  a  favage  band, 
With  each  a  hatchet  in  his  hand, 
T'amufe  themfelves  with  fcalping  knives, 
And  butcher  children  and  your  wives  ; 
That  fhe  may  boaft  again  with  vanity, 
Her  Englifh  national  humanity  ? 
(For  now  in  its  primaeval  fenfe, 
This  term,  human*  ty,  comprehends 
All  things  of  which,  on  this  fide  hell* 
The  human  mind  is  capable  ; 
And  thus  Yis  well,  by  writers  fage, 
Applied  to  Britain  and  to  Gage.) 
And  on  this  work  to  raife  allies 
She  fenther  duplicate  of  Guys, 


*  Alluding,  as  is  fuppofcd,  to  afpeechin  the  Britifh  Parlia 
ment,  in  which  "  delenda  eft  Carthago"  was  applied  to  Amer 
ica, 


CANTO    II.  M*  F  I  N  G  A  L.  4! 

To  drive  at  different  parts  at  once,  on 
Her  ftout  Guy  Carleton  and  Guy  Johnibnj 
To  each  of  whom,  to  fend  again  ye 
Old  Guy  of  Warwick  were  a  ninny ; 
Tho'  the  dun  cow  he  fell'd  in  war, 
Thefe  kill-cows  are  his  betters  far. 

"  And  has  fhe  not  aflay'd  her  notes, 
To  rouze  your  flaves  to  cut  your  throats, 
Sent  o'er  ambaffadors  with  guineas, 
To  bribe  your  blacks  in  Carolinas  ? 
And  has  not  Gage,  her  mifFionary, 
Turn'd  many  an  Afric  (lave  t'  a  Tory, 
And  made  th'  American  Bifhop's  fee  grow3 
By  many  a  new-converted  Negro  ? 
As  friends  to  gov'rment  did  not  he 
Their  flaves  at  Bofton  late  let  free  ? 
Enlift  them  all  in  black  parade, 
Set  off  with  regimental  red  ? 
And  were  they  not  accounted  then 
Among  his  very  braved  men  ? 
And  when  fuch  means  fhe  ftoops  to 
Think  you  flie  is.  nou  wide  awake  ? 
As  Eliphaz'  good  man  in  Job, 
Own'd  num'rous  allies  thro1  the  globe; 
Had  brought  the  *  (lones  along  the  ftreet 
To  ratify  a  covenant  meet, 

*  The  ftones,  and  all  the  elements  with  thee 
Shall  ratify  a  ftrift  confed'racy ; 

Wild 


42  Mf  FIN  GAL.  CANTO    II. 

And  ev'ry  bead  from  lice  to  lions, 
To  join  in  league  of  drift  alliance  : 
Has  £he  not  cring'd,  in  fpite  of  pride, 
For  like  affidance,  far  and  wide  ? 
Was  there  a  creature  fo  defpis'd, 
Its  aid  fhe  has  not  fought  and  priz'd  ? 
Till  all  this  formidable  league  rofe 
Of  Indians,  Britifh  troops,  and  Negroes,, 
And  can  you  break  thefe  triple  bands 
By  all  your  workmanfhip  or  hands  ?" 

cc  Sir,  quoth  Honorius,  we  prefume 
You  guefs  from  pad  feats,  what's  to  come, 
And  from  the  mighty  deeds  of  Gage, 
Foretell  how  fierce  the  war  he'll  wage. 
You,  doubtlefs,  recollected  here 
The  annals  of  his  firft  great  year : 
While  wearying  out  the  Tones'  patience^ 
He  fpent  his  breath  in  proclamations  ; 
While  all  his  mighty  noife  and  vapour 
Was  us'd  in  wrangling  upon  paper ; 
And  boaded  military  fits 
Cios'd  in  the  draining  of  his  wits  j 
While  troops  in  Bofton  commons  plac'd, 
Laid  nought  but  quires  of  paper  wafte; 
While  ftrokes  alternate  ftunn'd  the  nation, 
Pro  ted,  addrefs,  and  proclamation; 

Wild  heads  their  favage  temper  (hall  forget, 
And  for  a  firm  alliance  with  thee  treat :  &c. 

BLACKMORE'S  PARAPHRASE  OF  joi. 


CANTO  n.  MC  F  i  N  G  AL.  43 

And  fpeech  met  fpeech,  fib  clafh'd  with  fib, 
.And  Gage  flill  anfwered  fquib  for  fquib. 

"  Tho'  this  not  all  his  time  was  loft  on, 
He  fortified  the  town  of  Bofton  -9 
Built  breaft-works  that  might  lend  affiftance 
To  keep  the  patriots  at  a  diftance  ; 
(For  howfoe'er  the  rogues  might  feoff, 
He  lik'd  them  beft  the  fartheft  off ;) 
Of  mighty  ufe  and  help  to  aid 
His  courage  when  he  felt  affraid ; 
And  whence  right  off  in  manful  flation, 
He'd  boldly  pop  his  proclamation. 
Our  hearts  muft  in  our  bofoms  freeze 
At  fuch  heroic  deeds  as  thefe." 

cc  Vain,  quoth  our  'Squire,  you'll  find  to  fneer 
At  Gage's  firfl  triumphant  year  ; 
For  providence,  difpos'd  to  teaze  us, 
Can  ufe  what  inftruments  it  pleafes. 
To  pay  a  tax  at  Peter's  wi(h, 
His  chief  cafhier  \pas  once  a  Fifh  ; 
An  Afs,  in  Balaam's  fad  difafter, 
Turn'd  orator,  and  fav'd  his  mafter ; 
A  goofe  plac'd  fentry  on  his  ftation 
Preferv'd  old  Rome  from  defolation  5 
An  Englifh  bifhop's*  Cur  of  late 
Difclos'd  rebellions  'gainft  the  ftate  ; 
So  Frogs  croak'd  Pharaoh  to  repentance, 

And  lice  rcvers'd  the  threatening  fentence  : 
*<{  See  Biiliop  Atterbury's  trial." 


44  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    II. 

And  Heaven  can  ruin  you  at  pleafure, 
By  our  fcorn'd  Gage,  as  well  as  Casfar. 
Yet  did  our  hero  in  thefe  days 
Pick  up  fome  laurel- wreathes  of  praife. 
And  as  the  flatuary  of  Seville 
Made  his  crack'd  faint  an  excellent  devil  •, 
So  tho'  our  war  few  triumphs  brings, 
We  gain'd  great  fame  in  other  things. 
Did  not  our  troops  fhow  much  difcerning, 
And  (kill  your  various  arts  in  learning  ? 
Outwent  they  not  each  native  noodle 
By  far,  in  playing  Yankey  Doodle  *  -, 
Which,  as  'twas  your  New-England  tune, 
,'Twas  marvellous  they  took  fo  foon  ? 
And  ere  the  year  was  fully  thro* 
Did  not  they  learn  to  foot  it  too  ; 
And  fuch  a  dance  as  ne'er  was  known, 
For  twenty  miles  on  end  led  down  ?  j- 
Was  there  a  Yankey  trick  you  knew, 
They  did  not  play  as  well  as  you  ? 

*  YANKEY-DOODLE,  as  M'Fingal  here  relates,  was  a  native 
Air  of  New-England,  and  was  often  played  in  derifion  by  the 
Britifh  troops,  particularly  on  their  march  to  Lexington.  Af 
terwards  the  captive  army  of  Burgoync  was  obliged  to  march 
to  this  tune  in  the  ceremony  of  piling  their  armes,  at  Saratoga. 
Jn  the  courfe  of  the  war  it  became  a  favorite  air  of  Liberty,  like 
theprefent  CA  IRA  ol'France.  It  is  remarkable  that  after  the 
taking  of  the  BafHIe,  and  before  the  introduction  of  CA  IRA, 
the  Paris  guards  played  YANKEY-DOODLE. 

t  This  is  Lord  Percy's  modern  Chevy-chace  ;  in  which  his 
lordfhip  and  his  army  were  chafed  from  Concord  to  Bofton. 


CANTO    II.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  45 

Did  they  not  lay  their  heads  together, 
And  gain  your  art  to  tar  and  feather, 
When  Col'nel  Nefbitt  thro'  the  town 
In  triumph  bore  the  country-clown  ? 
Oh,  what  a  glorious  work  to  fing 
The  vet'ran  troops  of  Britain's  king. 
Advent'ilng  for  th*  heroic  laurel, 
With  bag  of  feathers  and  tar-barrel ! 
To  paint  the  cart  where  culprits  ride, 
And  Nefbitt  marching  at  its  fide  *, 

*In  the  winter  of  1774  and  1775,  'he  BritiQiarmy  had  been  flimti- 
lated  by  their  officers  and  the  Tories,  to  an  ardent  defire  to  fee  hofti- 
tities  commence.  But  the  infligators  wifhing  the  Americans  to  be 
the  aggreffoM,  ufed  the  following  ftratagem  to  compleat  their  purpofe. 

On  the  full  of  Mby,  1775,  the  king's  ftandard  was  to  be  erected 
at  Worcefter,  fifty  miles  from  Boflon,  when  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Nefbitt  immortalized  himfelfby  executing  this  plan  to  promote  the 
quarrel,  and  give  the  army  an  opportunity  of  their  dcfired  revenge. 

A  foldier,  according  to  his  d  regions,  fold  an  old  rufty  mufket  to 
a  countryman  for  three  dollars,  who  brought  veeetahles  to  market. 
This  could  be  no  crime  in  the  market-man,  who  had  an  undoubted 
fight  to  purchafe,  and  bear  arms.  He  was,  notwithflanding,  immedi 
ately  feized  by  Nefbitt,  and  conveyed  to  the  guard-houle,  wheie  he 
Was  confined  all  night.  Early  the  next  morning  they  ft  ripped  him 
naked,  covere  him  with  warm  tar,  and  then  with  feathers,  and 
conducted  him  to  the  north  end  of  the  town,  then  to  the  fouth  end, 
and  as  far  ;<s  Liberty-Tree,  where  they  difmifled  the  man,  through 
fear  of  the  people,  (who  by  this  time  had  collected  in  large  numbers,) 
and  made  a  retreat  to  their  barracks. 

The  party  confifted  of  about  thirty  grenadiers  of  the  47th  regiment 
with  fixed  bayonets,  so  drums  and  fifes  playing  the  rogue's  march, 
headed  by  Nefbitt  'Mth  a  drawn  fword. 

The  magidrates  of  the  town  waited  on  General  Gage  with  a  com 
plaint  of  this  outrage ;  he  pretended  difapprobation  ;  but  took  no  fteps 
to  cenfure  the  conduct  of  Nefbitt,  or  to  do  juftice  to  the  man  who  had 
fufTered  the  violence, 


46  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L*  CANTO  Jit, 

Great  executioner  and  proud, 
Like  hangman  high  on  Holborn  road  i 
And  o'er  the  bright  triumphal  car 
The  waving  enfigns  of  the  war  ! 
As  when  a  triumph  Rome  decreed, 
For  great  Calig'la's  valiant  deed, 
Who  had  fubdu'd  the  Britifh  feas,c 
By  gathering  cockles  from  their  bafe ; 
In  pompous  car  the  conqu'ror  bore 
His  captivM  fcallops  from  the  Ihore, 
Ovations  gain'd  his  crabs  for  fetching, 
And  mighty  feats  of  oyfler-catching  : 
O'er  Yankies  thus  the  war  begun, 
They  tarr'd  and  triumphed  over  one ; 
And  fought  and  boafted  thro*  the  feafon* 
With  might  as  great,  and  equal  reafon. 
cc  Yet  thus  tho  fldllM  in  vi&'ry  toils, 
They  boaft,  not  unexpert  in  wiles. 
For  gain'd  they  not  an  equal  fame  in 
The  art  of  fecrecy  and  fcheming ; 
In  ftratagems  fhow'd  mighty  force, 
And  moderniz'd  the  Trojan  horfr  j 
Play'd  o'er  again  thofe  tricks  Ulyflcan 
In  their  fanVd  Salem-expedition  ? 
For  as  that  horfe,  the  Poets  tell  ye, 
Bore  Grecian  armies  in  his  belly  -, 
Till,  their  full  reck'ning  run,  with  joy 
Their  Sinon  midwif'd  them  in  Troy  5 


CANTO    IT.  JM*  FIN  GAL*  47 

So  in  one  fhip  was  Leflie  bold 
Cramm'd  with  three  hundred  men  inhold^ 
Equip'd  for  enterprize  and  fail, 
Like  Jonas  ftow'd  in  womb  of  whale* 
To  Marblehead,  in  depth  of  night, 
The  cautious  veffel  wing'd  her  flight. 
And  now  the  fabbath's  filent  day 
Call'd  all  your  Yankies  off  to  pray ; 
Remov'd  each  prying  jealous  neighbour, 
The  fcheme  and  vefifel  fell  in  labor ; 
Forth  from  its  hollow  womb  pour'd  haft'ly 
The  Myrmidons  of  Col'nel  Leflie : 
Not  thicker  o'er  the  blacken5  d  ftrand 
The  *  Frogs*  detachment  rufh'd  to  land, 
Equipp'd  by  onfet  or  furprife 
To  ftorm  th'  entrenchment  of  the  Mice. 
Thro'  Salem  ftrait  without  delay, 
The  bold  battalion  took  its  way, 
March'd  o'er  a  bridge  in  open  fight 
Of  fev'ral  Yankies  armM  for  fight, 
Then  without  lofs  of  time,  or  men, 
Veer'd  round  for  Bofton  back  again ; 
And  found  fo  well  their  projects  thrive, 
That  ev'ry  foul  got  home  alive. 

cc  Thus  Gage's  arms  did  fortune  blefss 
With  triumph,  fafety,  and  fuccefs : 
But  mercy  is,  without  difpute, 
His  firft  and  darling  attribute; 

*  "_  See  Hornet's  Battle  of  the  Frogs  and  Mice.*? 


4$  MCFIKGAL.  CANTO  It* 

So  great,  it  far  outwent  and  conquer'd 

His  military  fkill  at  Concord. 

There  when  the  war  he  chofe  to  wage 

Shone  the  benevolence  of  Gage ; 

Sent  troops  to  that  ill-omen'd  place 

On  errands  mere  of  fpecial  grace, 

And  all  the  work  he  chofe  them  for 

Was  to  "|"  prevent  a  civil  war  : 

And  for  that  purpofe  he  projected 

The  only  certain  way  t'  effect  it, 

To  take  your  powder,  (lores,  and  arms, 

And  all  your  means  of  doing  harms : 

As  prudent  folks  takes  knives  away, 

Left  children  cut  themfelves  at  play, 

And  yet,  tho*  this  was  all  his  fcheme, 

This  war  you  ftill  will  charge  on  him ; 

And  tho'  he  oft  has  fwore,  and  faid  it, 

Stick  clofe  to  facts,  and  give  no  credit. 

Think  you,  he  wifh'd  you'd  brave  and  beard  him  ? 

Why,  'twas  the  very  thing  that  fcar'd  him. 

He'd  rather  you  fhould  all  have  run, 

Than  ftay'd  to  fire  a  fingle  gun. 

And  for  the  civil  war  you  lament, 

Faith,  you  yourfelves  muft  take  the  blame  in't  j 

For  had  you  then,  as  he  intended, 

Giv*n  up  your  arms,  it  muft  have  ended* 

Sinre  that's  no  wa#,  each  mortal  knows, 

Where  one  fide  only  gives  the  blows, 

i  *'  See  Gage's  anfwcr  to  Governor  Trumbull.'* 


CANTO    II.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L. 

And  th'  other  bears  'em  j  on  refle&ion 
The  moft  you*!!  call  it,  is  corre&ion . 
Nor  could  the  contefl  have  gone  higher, 
If  you  had  ne'er  returned  the  fire ; 
But  when  you  fhot,  and  not  before, 
It  then  commenc'd  a  civil  war. 
Elfe  Gage,  to  end  this  controverfy, 
Had  but  corrected  you  in  mercy  : 
Whom  mother  Britain,  old  and  wife, 
Sent  o'er  the  Coi'mes  to  chaflife : 
Command  obedience  on  their  peril 
Of  minifterial  whip  and  ferule  $ 
And  fince  they  ne'er  could  come  of  age, 
Govern'd  and  tutor'dthem  by  Gage. 
Still  more,  that  this  was  all  their  errand, 
The  army's  conduct  makes  apparent. 
What  tho'  at  Lexington  you  can  fay 
They  kill'd  a  few  they  did  not  fancy, 
At  Concord  then,  with  manful  popping, 
Difcharg'd  a  round,  the  ball  to  open  ? 
Yet  when  they  faw  your  rebel-rout 
Deterrnin'd  ftill  to  hold  it  out ; 
Did  not  they  fhow  their  love  to  peace. 
And  wifh,  that  difcord  ftrait  may  ceafe, 
Demonftrate,  and  by  proofs  uncommon, 
Their  orders  were  to  injure  no  man  $ 


H 


50  M*  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    II. 

For  did  not  ev'ry-Reg'lar  run* 
As  foon  as  e'er  you  fir'd  a  gun  : 
Take  the  firft  (hot  you  fent  them  greeting, 
As  meant  their  fignal  for  retreating  j 
And  fearful  if  they  ftaid  to  fport, 
You  might  by  accident  be  hurt, 
Convey  themfelves  with  fpeed  away 
Full  twenty  miles  in  half  a  day; , 
Race  till  their  legs  were  grown  fo  weary, 
They'd  fcarce  fufBce  their  weight  to  carry  ? 
Whence  Gage  extols,  from  gen'ral  hearfy, 
The  j-great  activ'ty  of  Lord  Piercy  j 
Whofe  brave  example  led  them  on, 
And  fpirited  the  troops  to  run ; 
And  nnw  m  iy  bu aft  at  royal  levees 
A  Yanky-chace  worth  forty  Chevy s. 
Yet  you  as  vile  as-they  were  kind, 
Puifu'd  like  tygers,  ftill  behind, 
Fir'd  on  them  at  your  will,  and  fhut 
The  town>  as  tho'  you'd  ftarve  them  out  5 
And  with  J  parade  prepoft'rous  hedg'd 
Afred  to  hold  them  there  befieg'd  ; 

*  In  the  ancient  wars  in  America,  the  term  REGULAR,  was 
applied  toBiitifh  troops.to  diftinguifh  them  from  the  Provincials, 
or  new  levies  of  the  country.  At  the.coirmencement  of  the  late 
war,  the  fame  terns  of  difttnftion  were  ufej. 

•f  "  Too  much  prsife  c?<;mot  be  given  to  Lord  Piercy,  for  his 

remarkable  activity  through  the  whole  day." 

Cage's  Account  of  Lexington  Battk. 
t <(  And  with  a  pfepofferojfS  parade  of  military  arrangement 

they  affed  to  hold  the  army  K-.fiCged." 

Gage's  la/I  grand  Frcdamation* 


CANTO  II.  Mc  FIN  GAL. 

(Tho*  Gage,  whom  proclamations  call 

Your  Gov'nor  and  Vice-Admiral, 

Whofe  pow'r  gubernatorial  flill 

Extends  as  far  as  Bunker's  Hill ; 

Whofe  admiralty  reaches  clever, 

Near  half  a  mile  up  Myftic  river, 

Whofe  naval  force  commands  the  feas, 

Can  run  away  whene'er  he  pleafe,-) 

Scar'd  troops  of  Tories  into  town, 

And  burnt  their  hay  and  houfes  down, 

And  menac'd  Gage,  unlefs  he'd  flee, 

To  drive  him  headlong  to  the  fea  ; 

As  once,  to  faithlefs  Jews  a  fign, 

The  de'd  turn'd  hog-reeve,  did  the  fwinc. 
cc  But  now  your  triumphs  all  are  o'er  •, 

For  fee  from  Britain's  angry  fhore 

With  mighty  hofts  of  valour  join 

Her  Howe,  her  Clinton,  and  Burgoyne. 

As  comets  thro'  the  affrighted  Ikies 

Pour  baleful  ruin,  as  they  rife  j 

As  ./Etna  with  infernal  roar 

In  conflagation  fweepsthe  fhore; 

Or  as  *Abijah  White,  when  lent 

Our  Marfhfield  friends  to  reprefent ; 

Himfelf  while  dread  array  involves, 

Commiffions,  pi/lols,  fwords,  refolves, 

*'*  He  was  a  reprefentative  of  Marfhfield, and  employed  to  carry 
their  famous  town-refolves  to  Bofton.  He  armed  himfelf  in  a 
ridiculous  military  array,  as  another  Hud ibras,  pretending  he 
was  afraid  he  fliould  be  robbed  of  "them." 


52  Me  F  I  N   G  A  L,  CANTO   II, 

In  awful  pomp  defcending  down, 

Bore  terror  on  the  faftious  town  : 

Not  with  lefs  glory  and  affright, 

Parade  thefe  Gen'rals  forth  to  fight. 

No  more  each  Reg'lar  *  Col'nel  runs 

From  whizzing  beetles,  as  air-guns, 

Thinks  horn-bugs  bullets,  or  thro'  fears 

Mufkitoes  takes  for  mulketeers ; 

Nor  Tcapes,  as  tho*  you  gain'd  allies 

From  Belzebub's  whole  hoft  of  flies. 

No  bug  their  warlike  heart  appalls  •, 

They  better  know  the  found  of  balls, 

I  hear  the  din  of  battle  bray, 

The  trump  of  horror  marks  its  way. 

I  fee  after  the  fack  of  cities, 

The  gallows  ftrung  with  Whig-committees ; 

Your  Moderators  tric'd,  like  vermin, 

And  gate-pofts  grac'd  with  heads  of  Chairman; 

Your  Gen'rals  for  wave-offerings  hanging, 

And  ladders  throng'd  with  Priefls  haranguing. 

"What  pill'ries  glad  the  Tories'  eyes 

With  patriot-ears  for  facrifice! 

What  whipping-pods  your  chofen  race 

Admit  fuccefTive  in  embrace, 

*  This  was  a  faft.  Some  Britifn  officers,  foon  after  Gage's 
arrivalat  Bofton,  walking  on  Bacon-Hill  after  funfet,  were  af 
frighted  by  noifes  in  the  air  (fuppofed  to  be  the  flying  of  bugs 
and  beetles)  which  they  took  to  be  the  found  of  bullets,  and  left 
the  hill  with  great  precipitation  :  Concerning  which  they  wrote 
terrible  accounts  to  England  of  their  being  (hot  at  with  air- 
guns,  as  appeared  by  one  or  two  letters,  extra&s  from  which 
were  publifhed  in  the  En^liih  papers," 


CANTO    II.  MCFINGAL.  53 

While  each  bears  off  his  crimes,  alack  ! 
Like  Bunyan's  pilgrim,  on  his  back ! 
Where  then,  when  Tories  fcarce  get  clear, 
Shall  Whigs  and  Congrefles  appear  ? 
What  rocks  and  mountains  fhall  you  call 
To  wrap  you  over  with  their  fall, 
And  fave  your  heads  in  thefe  fad  weathers, 
From  fire  and  fword,  and  tar  and  feathers  ! 
For  lo,  with  Britifh  troops,  tar-bright, 
Again  our  Nefbitt  heaves  in  fight ! 
He  comes,  he  comes,  your  lines  to  ftorm, 
And  rigg  your  troops  in  uniform ! 
To  meet  fuch  heroes,  will  ye  brag, 
With  fury  arm'd  and  feather- bag  ; 
Who  weild  their  miffile  pitch  and  tar, 
With  engines  new  in  Britifh  war  ? 

"  Lo,  where  our  mighty  navy  brings 
Deftruftion  on  her  canvas  wings  ; 
While  thro*  the  deeps  her  potent  thunder 
Shall  found  th'  alarm  to  rob  and  plunder  I 
As  Phoebus  firft,  fo  Homer  fpeaks, 
When  he  march'd  out  t'  attack  the  Greeks, 
'Gainft  mules  fent  forth  his  arrows  fatal, 
And  flew  th'  auxiliaries,  their  cattle ; 
So  where  our  fhips  fhall  ftretch  the  keel, 
What  conquered  oxen  fliall  they  fteal ! 
What  heroes  rifing  from  the  deep 
Invade  your  marfhall'd  hofls  of  fheep  ! 
Difperfe  whole  troops  of  horfe,  and  preffing 
cows  furrender  at  difcretion  5 


54  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L  CANTO    II. 

Attack  your  hens,  like  Alexanders, 

And  reg'ments  rout  of  geefe  and  ganders ; 

Or  where  united  arms  combine 

Lead  captive  many  a  herd  of  fwine ! 

Then  rufh  in  dreadful  fury  down 

To  fire  on  ev'ry  fea-port  town  ; 

Difplay  their  glory  and  their  wits, 

Fright  unarm'd  children  into  fits, 

And  ftoutly  from  th'  unequal  fray, 

Make  many  a  woman  run  away  ! 

And  can  ye  doubt  whene'er  we  pleafe 

Our  chiefs  fhall  boaft  fuch  deeds  as  thefe  ? 

Have  we  not  chiefs,  tranfcending  far 

The  old  fam'd  thunderbolts  of  war  ; 

Beyond  the  brave  romantic  fighters, 

Stil'dfwords  of  death  by  novel-writers  ? 

Nor  in  romancing  ages  e'er  rofe 

So  terrible  a  tier  of  heroes, 

From  Gage,  what  flafhes  fright  the  waves  ! 

How  loud  a  blunderbufs  is  Graves*  ! 

How  Newport  dreads  the  bluft'ring fallies, 

That  thunder  from  our  pop-gun,  Wallace^  ! 

While  noife  in  formidable  drains 

Spouts  from  his  thimble-full  of  brains ! 

I  fee  you  fink  with  aw'ci  furprize  ! 

I  fee  our  Tory-brethren  rife  ! 

*  Admiral  Graves  and  Captain  Wallace  lay  before    the  town 
of  Newport  a  long  time,  and  by  their  "  Deeds  above  heroic/* 
merited  all  the  praifes  that  the  difcerning  M'Fingal  has  here 
beftowed  upon  them. 


CANTO    II.  Mf  FIN  GAL.  55 

And  as  the  feft'ries  Sandimanianf, 

Our  friends,  defcribe  their  wifli'd  Millennium  5 

Tell  how  the  world  in  ev'ry  region 

At  once  fhallown  their  true  religion; 

For  Heav'n  with  plagues  of  awful  dread 

Shall  knock  all  heretics  o'th'  head  ; 

And  then  their  church  the  meek  in  Ipiric, 

The  earth,  as  promised  fhall  inherit, 

From  the  dead  wicked,  as  heirs-male, 

And  next  remainder-men  in  tail  : 

Such  ruin  fhall  the  Whigs  opprefs  ! 

Such  fpoils  our  Tory  friends  fhall  blefs  ! 

While  confiscation  at  command 

Shall  fialk  in  horror  thro'  the  land, 

Shall  give  your  Whig  eftates  away, 

And  call  our  brethren  into  play. 

"And  can  ye  doubt  orlcruple  more, 
Thefe  things  are  near  you  at  the  door  ? 
Behold  !  for  tho'  to  reas'ning  blind, 
Signs  of  the  times  ye  fure  might  mind, 
And  view  impending  fate  as  plain 
As  ^e'd  foretell  a  fhow'r  of  rain. 

"  Hath  not  Heav'n  warn'd  you  what  mud  enfue, 
And  providence  declared  againft  y£>u  ; 
Flung  forth  its  dire  portents  of  war, 
By  *(lgns  and  beacons  in  the  air ; 

t  The  religious  feet  of  Sandimanians,  have  fingular  ideas  of  the 
Millennium.  Their  political  religion  during  the  Revolution  was 
Toryifm. 

•'  *  Such  ftor:es  of  prodigies  were  at  that  time  induftriouflf  pro 
pagated  among  the  Tory-party  in  various  parts  of  New-Eng 
land,  to  terrify  and  intimidate  the  fuperftmous.'* 


56  MCFINGAL.  CANTO   II. 

Alarm'd  old  women  all  around 

By  fearful  noifes  under  ground ; 

While  earth  for  many  dozen  leagues 

Groan'd  with  her  difmal  load  of  Whigs  ! 

Was  there  a  meteor  far  and  wide 

But  mufter'd  on  the  Tory-fide  ? 

Aftar  malign  that  has  not  bent 

Its  afpect  for  the  Parliament, 

Foreboding  your  defeat  and  mifery ; 

As  once  they  fought  againft  old  Sifera  ? 

Was  there  a  cloud  that  fpread  the  ikies, 

But  bore  our  armies  of  allies  ? 

While  dreadful  hofts  of  fire  flood  forth 

'Mid  baleful  glimm'rings  from  the  North*  5 

Which  plainly  fhows  which  part  they  join'd, 

For  North's  the  minifter,  ye  mind  j 

Whence  oft  your  quibblers  in  gazettes 

On  Northern  Hafts  have  ftrain'd  their  wits  j 

And  think  ye  not  the  clouds  no  how 

To  make  the  pun  as  well  as  you  ? 

Did  there  arife  an  apparition, 

But  grinn'd  forth  ruin  to  fedition  ? 

A  death-watch,  but  has  join'd  ourleagues^ 

And  click'd  deftruction  to  the  Whigs  ? 

Heard  ye  not,  when  the  wind  was  fair, 

At  night  our  or' tors  in  the  air, 

*  It  is  faid  to  be  a  faft,  that  in  America,  about  the  commence 
ment  of  the  war,  the  aurora  bortalis  appeared  more  frequently 
than  ufual,  and  aflumed  more  fmgular  appearances. 


CANTO    II.  MCFINGAL,  57 

That  loud  as  admiralty-libel, 

Read  awful  chapters  from  the  bible, 

And  death  and  Deviltry  denounced, 

And  told  you  how  you'd  foon  be  trounc'd  ? 

I  fee,  to  join  our  conquering  fide 

Heav'n,  earth,  and  hell  at  once  allied  ! 

See  from  your  overthrow  and  end 

The  Tories  paradife  afcend  ; 

Like  that  new  world  that  claims  its  ftation 

Beyond  the  final  conflagration  ! 

I  fee  the  day  that  lots  your  fhare 

In  utter  darknefs  and  defpair  ; 

The  day  of  joy  when  North,  our  Lord, 

His  faithful  fav'rites  fliall  reward  ! 

No  Tory  then  fhall  fet  before  him 

Small  wifh  of  'Squire,  or  Juftice  Quorum  -, 

But  'fore  his  unmiftaken  eyes 

See  Lordfhips,  poils  and  penfions  rife. 

Awake  to  gladnefs  then,  ye  Tories, 

Th'  unbounded  profpect  lies  before  us  ! 

The  pow'r  difplay'd  in  Gage's  banners 

Shall  cut  Amer'can  lands  to  manors, 

And  o'er  our  happy  conquer'd  ground 

Difpenfe  eftates  and  titles  round. 

Behold,  the  world  will  flare  at  new  fets 

Of  home  made   -earls  in  Mafiachufetts ; 

Admire,  array M  in  ducal  taficls, 

Your  Ol'vers,  Hutchinfons,  and 
*  See  Hutchinfon's  and  Oliver's  letters. 

j 


58  MCFINGAL.  CANTO    II, 

See,  join'd  in  minifterial  work, 

His  grace  of  Albany  and  York  ! 

What  Lordfhips  from  each  carv'd  eftate, 

On  our  New-York  AfTembly  wait ! 

What  tilled  fjauncys,  Gales  and  Billops  ; 

Lord  Bhifh,  Lord  Wilkins  and  Lord  Phillips ! 

In  wide-fleev'd  pomp  of  godly  guife, 

What  folemn  rows  of  bifhops  rife ! 

Aloft  a  card'naPs  hat  is  fpread 

O'er  punfter  J  Cooper's  rev'rend  head  ! 

InVardell,  that  poetic  zealot, 

I  view  a  lawn-bedizen'd  prelate  ! 

While  mitres  fall,  as  'tis  their  duty, 

On  heads  of  Chandler  and  Auchmuty ! 

Knights,  vifcounts,  barons,  {hall  ye  meet, 

As  thick  as  pavements  in  the  ftreet ! 

Ev'n  I,  pei  haps,  Heav'n  fpeed  my  claim, 

Shall  fix  a  Sir  before  my  name. 

For  titles  all  our  foreheads  ache  ; 

For  what  bleft  changes  can  they  make  ! 

Place  rev'rcnce,  grace  and  excellence 

Where  neither  claim'd  the  leaft  pretence ; 

Transform  by  patent's  magic  words 

Men,  likdl  Devils,  into  Lords  j 

•fr  Members  of  the  minifterial  majority,  in  the  New- York  Af- 
fernbly  ;  Wilkins,  a  noted  writer. 

J  Prcfident  Cooper  is  a  notorious  punfter  ;  Vardell,  author  of 
fome  poetical  fatires  on  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  New- York,  and 
royal  profeflbr  in  king's  college;  Chandler  and  Auchmuty  High-* 
church  and  Tory  writers  of  the  clerical  order. 


CANTO    II.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L. 

Whence  commoners,  to  peers  tranflated, 
Are  juflly  faid  to  be  created  ! 
Now  where  commifTioners  ye  faw 
Shall  boards  of  nobles  deal  you  law  ! 
Long  rob'd  comptrollers  judge  your  rights, 
And  tide-waiters  ilart  up  in  knights  ! 
While  Whigs  fubdu'd  in  flavifh  awe, 
Our  wood  fhajl  hew,  our   water  draw, 
And  blefs  that  mildnefs,  when  pad  hope, 
Which  fav'd  their  necks  from  noofe  of  rope. 
For  as  to  gain  aiTiftance  we 
Defign  their  negroes  to  fet  free  ; 
For  Whigs,  when  we  enough  fhall  bang  'em, 
Perhaps  'tis  better  not  to  hang  'cm  ; 
Except  their  chiefs  -,  the  vulgar  knaves 
Will  do  more  good  preferv'd  for  (laves. " 

Cf  'Tis  well,  Honorius  cried,  your  fchemc 
Has  painted  out  a  pretty  dream. 
We  can't  confute  your  fecond  fight ; 
We  Ihall  be  flaves  and  you  a  knight : 
Thefe  things  muft  come :  but  I  divine 
They'll  come  not  in  your  day,  or  mine. 
But  oh,  my  friends,  my  brethren,  hear, 
And  turn  for  once  th'  attentive  ear. 
Ye  fee  how  prompt  to  aid  our  woes, 
The  tender  mercies  of  our  foes  -y 
Ye  fee  with  what  unvaried  rancour 
Still  for  our  blood  their  minions  hanker, 
Nor  aught  can  fate  their  mad  ambition, 
From  us;  Dut  death,  or  worfe,  fubmifTion. 


60  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO  II. 

Shall  thefe  then  riot  in  our  fpoil, 
Reap  the  glad  harveft  of  our  toil, 
Rife  from  their  country's  ruin  proud, 
And  roll  their  chariot  wheels  in  blood  ? 
And  can  ye  deep  while  high  outfpread 
Hangs  defolation  o'er  your  head  ? 
See  Gage  with  inaufpicious  flar 
Has  op'd  the  gates  of  civil  war; 
When  dreams  of  gore  from  freemen  (lain, 
Encrimfon'd  Concord's  fatal  plain ; 
Whofe  warning  voice,  with  awful  found, 
Still  cries  like  Abel's,  from  the  ground, 
And  heav'n  attentive  to  its  call, 
Shall  doom  the  proud  opprefibr's  fall." 
<c  Rife  then,  ere  ruin  fwift  furprize, 
To  vidtory,  to  vengeance  rife  ! 
Hark  how  the  diftant  din  alarms! 
The  echoing  trumpet  breathes,  to  arms ; 
From  provinces,  remote  afar, 
The  fons  of  glory  rouze  to  war  ; 
'Tis  freedom  calls  ;  th'  enraptur'd  found 
The  Apalachian  hills  rebound  ; 
The  Georgian  fhores  her  voice  (hall  hear, 
And  flart  from  lethargies  of  fear. 
From  the  parch'd  zone,  with  glowing  ray, 
Where  pours  the  fun  intenfer  day, 
To  fhores  where  icy  waters  roll, 
And  tremble  to  the  dufky  pole, 
Infpir'd  by  freedom's  heav'nly  charms, 
United  nations  wake  to  arms. 


CANTO  ii,  M'FINGAL.  61 

The  ftar  of  conqueft  lights  their  way, 
And  guides  their  vengeance  on  their  prey- 
Yes,  tho'  tyrannic  force  oppofe, 
Still  fhall  they  triumph  o'er  their  foes, 
Till  Heav'n  the   happy  land  lhall  blefs, 
With  fafety,  liberty,  and   peace." 

"  And  ye  whofe  fouls  of  daftard    mould, 
Start  at  the  brav'ry  of  the  bold  •, 
To  love  your  country  who  pretend, 
Yet  want  all  fpirit  to  defend  ; 
Who  feel  your  fancies  fo  prolific, 
Engend'ring  vifion'd  whims  terrific, 
O'er-run  with  horrors  of  coercion, 
Fire,  blood,  and  thunder  in  reverfion, 
King's  ftandards,  piU'ries,  confiscations, 
And  Gage's  fcare-crow  proclamations, 
With  all  the  trumpery  of  fear ; 
Hear  bullets  •  whizzing  in   your   rear ; 
Who  fcarce  could  rouze,  if  caught  in  fray, 
Prefence  of  mind  to  run  away  5 
See  nought  but  halters  rife  to  view 
In  all  your  dreams  (and  dreams  are  true;) 
And  while  thefe  phantom's  haunt  your  brains, 
Bow  down  the  willing  neck  to  chains. 
Heav'ns  !  are  ye  fons  of  fires  fo  great, 
Imonortal  in  the  fields  of  fate, 
Who  brav'd  all  deaths  by  land  or  fea, 
Who  bled  who  conquer'd  to  be  free ! 
Hence !  coward  fouls,  the  worft  difgracc 
Of  our  forefathers' valliant  race; 


62  M'FINGAL.  CANTO  n, 

Hie  homeward  from  the  glorious  field; 
There  turn  the  wheel,  the  diftaff  wield  ; 
Act  what  ye  are,  nor  dare  to  (lain 
The  warrior's  arms  with  touch  profane  : 
There  beg  your   more  heroic  wives 
To  guard  your  children  and  your  lives ; 
Beneath  their  aprons  find  a  fcreen, 
Nor  dare  to  mingle  more  with  men." 

"  As  thus  he  faid,  the  Tories'  anger 
Could  now  reftrain  itfelf  no  longer, 
Who  tried  before  by  many  a  freak,  or 
Infulting  noife  to  flop  the  fpeaker  ; 
Swung  th'  unoil'd  hinge  of  each  pew-door; 
Their  feet  kept  ihuffling  on  the  floor: 
Made  their  difapprobation  known 
By  many  a  murmer.  hum,  and  groan, 
That  to  his  fpeech  fupplied  the  place 
Of  counterpart  in  thorough-bafe  : 
As  bag- pipes,  while  the  tune  they  breathe, 
Still  drone  and  grumble  underneath; 
Or  as  the  fam'd  Demofthenes 
Harangu'd  the  rumbling  of  the  feas, 
Held  forth  with  eloquence  full  grave 
To  audience  loud  of  wind  and  wave  ; 
And  had  a  (liller  congregation 
Than  Tories  are  to   hear  th'  oration. 
But  now  the  ftorm  grew  high  and  louder, 
As  nearer  thund'rings  of  a  cloud  are, 
And  ev'ry  foul  with  heart  and  voice 
Supplied  his  quota  of  the  noife ; 


CANTO    II.  McfrNGAL.  6 

Each  lift'ning  ear  was  fet  on  torture 

Each  Tory  bcll'wing  out,  to  order  : 

And  fome,  with*  tongue  not  low  or  weak, 

Were  clam' ring  fafl,  for  leave  to  fpeak ; 

The  moderator,  with  great  vi'lence, 

The  cufhion  thiimp'd  with  cc  Silence !  filencc  !" 

The  conftable  to  ev'ry  prater 

Bawl'd  out,  "Pray  hear  the  moderator  ;" 

Some  calFd  the  vote,  and  fome,  in  turn, 

Were  fcreaming  high  <c  Adjourn,  adjourn." 

Not  chaos  heard  fuch  jars  and  clafhes 

When  all  the  erments  fought  for  places. 

Each  bludgeon  foon  for  blows  was  tim'd ; 

Each  fifl  flood  ready  cock'd  and  prim'd  5 

The  florm  each  momemt  louder  grew  5 

Hisfword  the  great  McFingal  drew, 

Prepar'd  in  either  chance  to  lhare, 

To  keep  the  peace,  or  aid  the  war. 

Nor  lack'd  they  each  poetic  being, 

Whom  bards  alone   arc  fkill'd  in  feeing  ; 

Plum'd  Victory  flood  perch'd  on  high, 

Upon  the  pulpit- canopy, 

To  join,   as  is  her  cuftom  tried, 

Like  Indians,  on  the  ftrongeft  fide; 

The  Deflinies  with  fhears  and  Diftaff, 

Drew  near,  their  threads  of  life  to  twill  off; 

The  Furies  'gan  to  feafl  on  blows, 

And  broken  heads  or  bloody  nofe  5 

When  on  a  fudden,  from  without, 

Arofe  a  loud  terrific  fhout; 


64  M*  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO   lit 

And  ftrait  the  people  all  at  once  heard 

Of  tongues  an  univerfal  concert ; 

Like  .ZEfop's  times,  as  fable  runs, 

When  ev'ry  creature  talk'd  at  once ; 

Or  like  the  variegated  gabble 

That  craz'd  the  carpenters  of  Babel. 

Each  party  foon  forgot  the  quarrel, 

And  let  the  other  go  on  parole  ; 

Eager  to  know  what  fearful  matter 

Had  conjur'd  up  fuch  gen'ral  clatter ; 

And  left  the  church  in  thin  array, 

As  tho'  it  had  been  lecture-day. 

Our  'Squire  M'Fingal  ftraightway  beckon'd 

The  conftable  to  ftand  his  fecond, 

And  fallied  forth  with  afpect  fierce 

The  croud  afTembled  to  difperfe. 

The  moderator,  out  of  view 

Beneath  a  bench,  had  lain  perdue ; 

Peep'd  up  his  head  to  view  the  fray, 

Beheld  the  wranglers  run  away, 

And,  left  alone,  with  folemn  face, 

Adjourn'd  them  without  time  or  place. 


OF     CANTO     SECOND. 


M  '  F  I  N  G  A  L 

C  A  N f  O    THIRD. 

The  Liberty-Pole. 


NOW  arm'd  with  minifterial  ire, 
Fierce  Tallied  forth  our  loyal  >Squire> 
And  on  his  finding  fleps  attends, 
His  defperate  clan  of  Tory  friends  ; 
When  fudden   met  his  angry  eye, 
A  pole  afcending  thro'  the  fky, 
Which  numerous  throngs  of  Whiggifh  race 
Were  raifmg  in  the  market-place  ; 
Not  higher  fchool-boys  kites  afpire, 
Or  royal  maft  or  country  fpire, 
Like  fpears  at  Brobdignagian  tilting, 
Or  Satan's  walking-ftaff  in  Milton  5 
And  6n  its   top  the  flag  unfurl'd, 
Wav'd  triumph  o'er  the  prcflrate  world^ 

K 


66  M  c    F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    III, 

Infcrib'd  with  incontinent  types 

Of  liberty  and  thirteen  flrifes. 

Beneath,  the  croud,  without  delay, 

The  dedication- rights  eflay, 

And  gladly  pay  in  ancient  fafhion, 

The  ceremonies  of  libation ; 

While  brifkly  to  each  patriot  lip 

Walks   eager  round  th*  infpiring  flip  :f 

Delicious  draught,  whofe  pow'ra  inherit 

The  quinteflence  of  public  fpirit  ! 

Which  whofo  tailes,  perceives  his  mind 

To  nobler  politics  refin'd, 

Or  rous'd  for  martial  controverfy, 

As  from  transforming  cups  of  Circe  ; 

Or  warm'd  with  Homer's  ne&ar'd  liquor, 

That  fiJFd  the  veins  of  gods  with  ichor, 

At  hand  for  new  fupplies  in  ftore, 

The  tavern  opes  its  friendly  door, 

Whence  to  and  fro  the  waiters  run, 

Like  bucket-men,  at  fires  in  town. 

Then  with  three  fhouts  that  tore  the  (ky, 

'Tis  confecrate  to  Liberty ; 

To  guard  it  from  th'  attacks  of  Tories, 

A  grand  committee  cull'd  of  four  is, 

Who,  foremoft  on  the  patriot  fpot, 

Had  brought  the  flip  and  paid  the  fhot. 

t  flip  is  a  liquor  compofed  of  beer,  rum,  and  fugar. 


CANTO    III.  MCFINGAL.  6j 

By  this,  M'Fingal,  with  his  train, 
Advanced   upon  th'  adjacent  plain, 
And  fierce,  with  loyal  rage  pofiefs'd, 
Pour'd  forth  the   zeal    that  fir'd  his  breaft. 
"  What  mad-brain'd  rebel  gave  commifTion, 
To  raifc   this  May-pole  of  fedition  ! 
Like  Babel  reared    by  bawling  throngs, 
With  like  confuflon  too  of  tongues, 
To  point  at   Heav'n,  and  fummon  down 
The  thunders   of  the  Britifh  crown  ? 
Say,  will   this  paltry  pole  fecure 
Your  forfeit  heads  from  Gage's  pow'r  ? 
Attacked  by  heroes  brave  and   crafty, 
Is  this  to  ftand  your  ark  of  fafety  ? 
Or  driv'n  by  Scottifh  laird  and  laddie, 
Think  ye  to  reft  beneath  its  fhaddow  ? 
When  bombs,  like  fiery  ferpents,  fly, 
And  balls   move  hifling   thro'  the  fky, 
Will  this  vile  pole,  devote  to   freedom, 
Save  like  the  Jewifti  pole  in  Edom, 
Or  like  the  brazen  fnake  of  Mofes, 
Cure  your  crack'd  fkulls  and  batter'd  nofes  ? 
Ye  dupes   to  ev'ry  factious  rogue, 
Or   tavern-prating  demagogue, 
Whofe  tongue  but  rings,  with  found  more  full, 
On  th'  empty  drumhead  of  his  fkull  -3 
Behold  you  not  what  noify  fools 
Ufe  you,  worfe  fimpletons,  for  tools  ? 


68  M<  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    III 

For  Liberty  in  your  own   by-fenfe 

Is  but  for   crimes  a   patent   licence  j 

To  break  of  law  th'   Egyptian  yoke, 

And  throw  the  world  in  common  flock. 

Reduce   all  grievances  and  ills 

To  Magna  Charta  of  your  wills, 

Efbablifh  cheats  and   frauds    and  nonfenfe, 

Fram'd  by  'the  model  of  your  confcience, 

Cry  juftice  down,    as  out  of  faftiion, 

And   fix  its   fcale  of  depreciation*, 

Defy   all  creditors  to  trouble  ye, 

And  pafs  new  years   of  Jewifh  jubilee  ; 

Drive  judges  out  like   Aaron's  calves, 

By  jurifdi&ion  of  white  flaves, 

And  make  the  bar   and  bench  and  fteeple, 

Submit  t*  our  fov'reign  Lord,   the  People  ; 

AfTure   each  knave   his   whole  aflets^, 

By  gen'ral  amnefty  of  debts  ; 

By  plunder  rife  to   pow'r  and   glory. 

And  brand  all   property   as  Tory ; 

Expofe  all  wares   to   lawful  feizures 

Of  mobbers  and  monopolizers  -, 

Break  heads  and  windows   and  the  peace, 

For  your  own  int'reft  and  increafe ; 

*  Alluding  to  the  depreciation  of  the  continental  paper-money. 
The  declining  value  of  this  Currency  was  afcertained  and  declared 
by  Congrefs,  in  what  was  called  a  fc.aU  of  depredation.  See  more 
of  this  fub;eft  in  the  laft  Canto, 


CANTO    III.  Mf  F  I  N  G  A  L.  6$ 

Difpute  and  pray   and  fight  and  groan, 
For   public  good   and  mean  your  own; 
Prevent  the  laws,  by  fierce  attacks. 
From  quitting  fcores  upon   your  backs, 
Lay  your  old  dread,  the   gallows,  low, 
And  feize  the  flocks   your  ancient   foe  \ 
And   turn  them  as  convenient  engines 
To  wreak  your  patriotic   vengeance  ; 
While  all,  your  claims   who  underftand, 
Confefs  they're  in   the  owner's  hand: 
And  when  by  clamors   and  confufions, 
Your  freedom's  grown  a  public  nuifance, 
Cry,  Liberty,  with  pow'rful  yearning, 
As  he   does,  firey  whofe  houfe  is   burning, 
Tho'  he  already  has   much  more, 
Than  he  can  find   occafion  for, 
While  ev'ry  dunce,  that  turns  the  plains, 
Tho'  bankrupt  in  eftate  and  brains, 
By  this  new  light  transform'd  to  traitor, 
Forfakes  his   plow,   to  turn  dictator, 
Starts    an    haranguing  chief  of  Whigs, 
And  drags  you  by  the  ears   like  pigs. 
All  blufter  arm'd  with  factious  licence,  > 
Transform'd  at  once  to  politicians ; 
Each  leather-apron'd  clown,  grown  wife, 
Prefents  his  forward  face  t'  advife, 
And  tatter'd  legiflators  meet 
From  ev'ry  work-fhop  thro'  the  ftreet  5 


yO  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L  CANTO   III- 

t 

His  goofe  the  t  ay  lor  finds  new  ufe  in, 

To  patch  and  turn  the  conftitution  ; 

The  Blackfmith  comes  with  (ledge  and  grate, 

To  iron-bind  the  wheels  of  (late; 

The  quack  forbears  his  patient's  foufe, 

To  purge  the  Council  and  the  Houfe; 

The  tinker  quits  his  moulds  and  doxies, 

To  caft  affembly  men  at  proxies. 

From  dunghills  deep  of  fable  hue, 

Your  dirt-bred  patriots  fpring  to  view, 

To  wealth  and  pow'r  and  penfion  rife, 

Like  new  wing'd  maggots  chang'd  to  flies; 

And  fluttering  round  in  proud  parade, 

Strut  in  the  robe  or  gay  cockade. 

See  *Ar — d  quits,  for  ways  more  certain, 

His  bankrupt  perj'ries  for  his  fortune  > 

Brews  rum  no  longer  in  his  ftore, 

Jocky  and  fkipper  now  no  more  ; 

Forfakes  his  warehoufes  and  docks, 

And  writs  of  (lander  for  the  pox, 

And,  purg'd  by  patriotifm  from  (hame, 

Grows  Gen'ral  of  the  fore  mod  name. 


*t  *  Ar—d's  perjuries  at  the  time  of  his  pretended  bankruptcy, 
which  was  the  firft  rife  of  his  fortune  ;  and  his  curious  lawfuit  againft 
a  brother-flapper,  who  had  charged  him  with  having  caught  the  above 
mentioned  difeafe,  by  his  connexion  with  a  certain  African  princefs  in 
the  Weft-Indies,  with  its  humorous  iflue,  are  matters,  not  1  believe  fo 
generally  known,  as  the  other  circumftances  of  his  public  and  private 
chara&er." 


I 
CANTO  in.  M'FINGAL*  71 

*  Hiatus. 

For  in  this  ferment  of  the  ftream, 
The  dregs  have  work'd  up  to  the  brim, 
And  by  the  rule  of  topfy-turvys, 
The  fkum  ftands  fwelling  on  the  furface. 
You've  caus'd  your  pyramid  t'  afcend, 
And  fet  it  on  the  little  end; 
Like  Hudibras,  your  empire's  made, 
Whofe  crupper  had  o'er-top'd  his  head ; 
You've  pufh'd  and  turnM  the  whole  world  up- 
Side  down,  and  got  yourfelves  a-top: 
While  all  the  great  ones  of  your  ftate; 
Are  cruih'd  beneath  the  pop'lar  weight; 
Nor  can  you  boaft  this  prefent  hour, 
The  fhadow  of  the  form  of  pow'r. 
For  what's  your  Congrefs  f,  or  its  end  ? 
A  power  t*  advife  and  recommend ; 
To  call  for  troops,  adjuft  your  quotas 
And  yet  no  foul  is  bound  to  notice; 
To  pawn  your  faith  to  th'  utmoft  limit, 
But  cannot  bind  you  to  redeem  it, 

«  •  M'Fingal  having  here  Jnferted  the  names  and  characters  oF  fc- 
vcral  great  men,  whom  the  public  have  not  yet  fully  detected,  it  is 
thought  propei  to  omit  fundry  paragraphs  of  his  fpeech  in  the  prefent 
edition.'* 

t  The  author  here,  in  a  true  drain  of  patriotic  cenfure,  pointed  out 
the  principle  defefts  in  the  firft  federal  Conftitution  of  the  United 
States  j  all  which  have  been  fince  removed  in  the  New  Conftitution, 
eflablifhed  in  the  year  1789.  So  that  the  prophecy  below,  You'll 
ne'er  have  fenfe  enough  to  mend  it,  mud  be  ranked  among  the  ether 
fage  blunders  of  his  fecond-fighted  hero. 


72-  MCF  IN/GAL.       I  -CANTO    III. 

And  when  in  want,  no  more  in  them  lies, 
Than  begging  of  your  State- AfTemblies ; 
Can  utter  oracles  of  dread, 
Like  Friar  Bacon's  brazen  head  ; 
But  fhould  a  faction  e'er  difpute  'em, 
Has  ne'er  an  arm  to  execute  'em. 
As  tho'  you  chofe  fupreme  dictators, 
And  put  them  under  confervators  ; 
You've  but  purfu'd  the  felf-fame  way, 
With  Shakefpeare's  Trinclo  in  the  play, 
"  You  fhall  be  viceroys,  here,  'tis  true, 
But  we'll  be  viceroys  over  you." 
What  wild  confufion  hence  muft  enfue, 
Tho'  common  danger  yet  cements  you  j 
So  fome  wreck'd  vefTel,  all  in  fhatters, 
Is  held  up  by  furrounding  waters, 
But  ftranded,  when  the  preffure    ceafes. 
Falls,  by  its  rottennefs,  to  pieces. 
And  fall  it  muft — if  wars  were  ended, 
You'll  ne'er  have  fenfe  enough  to  mend  it ; 
But  creeping  on  with  low  intrigues 
Like  vermin  of  an  hundred  legs, 
Will  find  as  fhort  a  life  affign'd 
As  all  things  elfe  of  reptile  kind. 
Your  Commonwealth's  a  common  harlot, 
The  property  of  ev'ry  varlet, 
Which  now  in  tafte  and  full  employ, 
All  forts  admire,  as  all  enjoy; 
But  foon  a  batter'd  ftrumpet  grown, 
You'll  curfe  and  drum  her  out  of  town. 


CANTO    III.  Mc  FIN  GAL.  73 

Such  is  the  government  you  chofe, 
For  this  you  bade  the  world  be  foes, 
For  this,  fo  mark'd  for  difiblution, 
You  fcorn  the  Britifh  conftitution  ; 
That  conftitution,  form'd  by  fages. 
The  wonder  of  all  modern  ages  : 
Which  owns  no  failure  in  reality, 
Except  corruption  and  venality  5 
And  only  proves  the  adage  juft, 
That  bed  things  fpoil'd,  corrupt  to  word  t 
So  man,  fupreme  in  mortal  ftatiori, 
And  mighty  lord  of  this  creation, 
When  once  his  corfe  is  dead  as  herring, 
Becomes  the  mod  x)ffenfive  carrion, 
And  fooner  breeds  the  plague,  'tis  found, 
Than   all  beads  rotting  'bove  the  ground* 
Yet  for  this  government,  to  difmay  us, 
You've  call'd  up  Anarchy  from  phaos, 
With  all  the  followers  of  her  fchool, 
Uproar  and  Rage  and  wild  Mifrule; 
For  whom   this  rout  of  Whigs  didracted 
And  ravings  dire  of  ev'ry  cracked  head  $ 
Thefe  new-caft  legiflative  engines 
Of  country-mufters  and  conventions, 
Committees  vile  of  correfpondencq, 
And  mobs,  whofe  tricks  have   aim  oft  undone  'sj 
While  reafon  fails  to  check  your  courfe, 
And  loyalty's  kick'd  out  of  doors, 

L 


74  M  f  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    III. 

And  folly,   like  inviting   landlord, 

Hoifls  on  your  poles  her  royal  ftandard. 

While  the  king's  friends  in  doleful  dumps, 

Have  worn  their  courage  to  the  ftumps, 

And  leaving  George  in  fad  difafter, 

Moft  finfully  deny  their  mailer.    • 

What  furies  rag'd,  when  you  in  fea, 

In  lhape  of  Indians  drown'd  the  tea*, 

When  your  gay  fparks,  fatigu'd  to  watch   it, 

Affumed  the  moggifon  and  hatchet, 

With  wampum'd  blankets  hid  their  laces, 

And,  like  their  fweet-hearts,  primed    their  faces: 

While  not  a  Red-coat  dar'd  oppofe, 

And  fcarce  a  Tory  fhow'd  his  nofe  ; 

While  Hutchinfon  for  fure  retreat, 

Manoeuvred  to  his  country  feat,   - 

And  thence  affrighted   in  the  fuds, 

Stole  off  bare-headed  thro'  the  woods! 

Have  you  not  rous'd  your  mobs  to  join, 

And  make  Mandamus-men  refign, 

Call'd  forth  each  duffil-drefs'd  curmudgeon, 

With  dirty  trowfers  and  white  bludgeon, 

Forc'd  all  our  Councils  thro*  the  land* 

To  yield  their  necks  to  your   command ; 

While  palenefs  marks  their  late  difgraces 

Thro'  all  their  rueful  length  effaces  ? 

*  The  perfons  who  defiroyed  the  cargo  of  tea,  above  referred  to, 
were  difguifed  in  the  habit  of  Indians, 


CANTO    III.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  75 

Have  you  not  caus'd  as  woeful  work 

In  loyal  city  of  New- York  *, 

When  all  the  rabble  well  cockadcd, 

In  triumph  "thro*  the  ilreets  paraded  ; 

And  mobb'd  the  Tories,  fcar'd  their  fpoufes, 

And  ranfaek'd  all  the  cuftom-houfes, 

Made  fuch  a  tumult,  blufler,  jarring, 

That  'mid  the  clalh  of  tempefts  warring, 

Smith's  weathercock,  with  veers  forlorn,f 

Could  hardly  tell  which  way  to  turn ; 

Burnt  effigies  of  th'  Higher  Powers, 

Contriv'd  in  planetary  hours, 

As  witches,  with  clay- images, 

Deftroy  or  torture  whom  they  pleafe ; 

'Till  fir'd  with  rage,  th*  ungrateful  club 

Spar'd  not  your  befl  friend,  Belzebub, 

O'er-look'd  his  favours,  and  forgot 

The  rev'rence  due   t'  his  cloven  foot  -, 

And  in  the  lelf-fame  furnace  frying, 

Burn'd  him,  and  North,  and  Bute,  and  TryonJ  - 

*  There  were  fo  many  influential  Tories  in  New- York,  that 
they  at  firft  obtained  a  vote  in  favor  of  the  A&s  of  Parliament, 
and  againft  the  proceedings  of  the  firfl  Congrefs. 

t  William     Smith,      formerly    a    lawyer   in   New- York. 

J  Tryon,  being  now  dead,  is  ptobably  forgot.  The  reader 
muft  know  that  he  was  governor  of  New -York,  and  a  Britifh 
general  during  the  war.  He  had  the  glcry  of  burning  the 
towns  of  Fairfield  and  Norwalk,  and  of  iffuing  many  proclanr- 
tions.  The  other  perfonages  that  make  up  this  iiaHe.  of  fjii, 
Bute,  Bekebub,  and  North,  are  ftill  living,  «nd  '.hcrefoie  v,\ss:t 
no  explanation. 


76  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    III. 

Did  you  not  in  as  vile    and  ih allow  way, 

Fright  our  poor   Philadelphia!!,  §  Galloway, 

Your  Congrefs  when  the  daring  ribald 

Belied,   berated,  and  befcribbled  ? 

What  ropes  and  halters  did  you  fend, 

Terrific  emblems  of  his  end, 

Till,  leaft   he'd  hang  in  more  than  effigy, 

Fled  in  a  fog  the  trembling  refugee  ? 

Now  rifing  in   progrefiion  fatal, 

Have  you  not  ventured  to  give  battle  ? 

"When  treafon  chac'd  our  heroes  troubled, 

With  rufty  gun  and  leathern  doublet, 

Turn'd  all  (lone-walls,  and  groves,  and  bufhes, 

To  batt'ries  armed  with  blunderbufles, 

And  with  deep  wounds,  that:  fate  portend, 

Gaul'd  many  a  Reg'lar's   latter  end, 

Drove   them  to  Bofton  as  in  jail, 

Confin'd  without  main-prize  or   bail. 

Were  not  thefe  deeds  enough  betimes, 

To  heap  the  meafure  of  your  crimes, 

But  .in  this  loyal  town  and  dwelling, 

You  raife  thefe  enfigns  of  rebellion  ? 

'Tis  done  ;  fair  Mercy  fhuts  her  door; 

And  Vengeance  now  fnall  deep  no  more  $ 

Rife  then,  my  friends,  in  terror  rife, 

And  wipe  this  fcandal  from  the  ikies ! 

^  Galloway  began  by  being  a  flaming  patriot.  He  is  one  of 
the  few  men,  who  proved  a  traitor  to  his  country,  wrote  sgainft 
it,  and  ran  away» 


CANTO    III.  MfFINGAL.  77 

You'll  fee  their  Dagon,  tho'   well  jointed, 
Will  fink  before    the  Lord's  anointed, 
And  like  old  Jericho's  proud   wall, 
Before  our  ram's  horns  proftrate  fall." 

This  faid  our  'Squire,  yet  undifmay'd, 
Call'd  forth  the  Conftable  to  aid, 
And  bade  him  read  in  nearer  ftation, 
The  riot -act  and  proclamation  *  ; 
Who,  now  advancing  tow'rd  the  ring, 
Began,  tc  Our  fov'reign  Lord  the  King" — • 
When  thoufand  clam'rous   tongues  he  hears, 
And  clubs,  and  ftones  aflail  his  ears  ; 
To  fly  was  vain,   to  fight  was   idle, 
By  foes  encompafs'd  in  the  middle  -9 
In  ftratagem  his  aid  he  found, 
And  fell  right  craftily  to  ground; 
Then  crept  to  feek  an  hiding  place, 
'Twas  all  he  could,  beneath   a  brace; 
Where  foon  the  conqu'ring  crew  efpied  him, 
And  where  he  lurk'd,  they  caught  and  tied  him, 

At  once  with  refolution  fatal,  <« 

Both  Whigs  and  Tories  rufh'd  to  battle ; 
Inftead   of  weapons,  either  band 
Seiz'd  on  fuch  arms,  as  came  to  hand. 

*  faading  the  Riot- aft  has  the  fame  miraculous  effeft  in  Ame 
rica  as  in  England:  it  may  convert  any  colle&ion  of  men  into 
a  riot,  and  is  the  tremendous  prologue  to  any  tragedy  that  may 
from  ^he  exercifc  of  Martial  Law, 


78  M<  F  I  N  G  A  L  CANTO    III. 

And  as  fam'd  *  Ovid  paints  th'  adventures 

Of  wrangling  Lapithse   and   Centaurs, 

Who  at  their  feaft,  by  Bacchus  led, 

Threw  bottles  at  each  other's  head, 

And  thefe  arms  failing  in  their  fcuffles, 

Attack'd  with  hand-irons,  tongs,  and  (hovels : 

So  clubs  and  billets,  (laves  and  ftones 

Met  fierce,  encountering  every  fconce, 

And  cover'd  o'er  with  knobs  and  pains 

Each  void  receptacle  for  brains  \ 

Their  clamours  rend  the  hills  around, 

And  earth  rebellows  with  the  found ; 

And  many  a  groan  increased  the  din 

From  broken  nofe  and  batter'd  (hin. 

MTingal,  rifmg  at  the  word, 

Drew  forth  his  old  militia  fword  ; 

Thrice  cried,  "  King  George,"  as  erft  in  diftrefs 

Romancing  heroes  did  their  miftrefs, 

And,  brandi filing  the  blade  in  air, 

Struck  terror  thro'  th*  oppofing  war. 

The  Whigs  unfafe  within  the  wind 

Of  fuch  commotion  (hrunk  behind. 

With  whirling  (lecl  around  addrefs'd, 

Fierce  thro*   their  thickeft  throng  he  prelVd, 

(Who  roird  on  either  fide  in  arch, 

Like  Red-fea  waves  in  Ifrael's  march) 

And  like  a  meteor  milling  through. 

Struck  on  their  pole  a  vengeful  blow. 

<(  *  Ovid's  Mrtamorphofrs,  Book  xli.'* 


CANTO  III.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  75 

Around,  the  Whigs,  of  clubs  and  ftones 
Difcharg'd  whole  vollies  in  platoons, 
That  o'er  in  whittling  terror  fly, 
But  not  a  foe  dares  venture  nigh. 
And  now,  perhaps,  with  conqueft  crown'd, 
Our  'Squire  had  fell'd  their  pole  to  ground  j 
Had  not  fome  Pow'r,  a  Whig  at  heart, 
Defcended  down  and  took  their  part, 
(Whether  'twere  Pallas,  Mars,  or  Iris, 
'Tis  fcarce  worth  while  to  make  enquiries,) 
Who  at  the  nick  of  time  alarming, 
Afium'd   the  graver  form  of  Chairman; 
Addrefs'd  a   Whig,  in   ev'ry  fcene 
The  ftouteft  wreftler  on  the  green, 
And  pointed  where  the  fpade  was  found* 
Late  us'd  to  fix  the  pole  in  ground, 
And  urg'd  with  equal  arms  and  might 
To  dare  our  'Squire  to  fingle  fight  f. 
The  Whig  thus  arm'd,  untaught   to  yield, 
Advanc'd  tremendous  to  the  field  $ 
Nor  did  McFingal  fhun  the  foe, 
But  flood  to  brave  the  defp'rate  blow  $ 
While  all  the  party   gaz'd  fufpended, 
To  fee   the  deadly  combat;  ended. 

"  f  The  learned  reader  will  readily  obfcrve  the  allufions  in  this 
fcene  to  the  fingle  combat  of  Paris  and  Menelaus  in  Homer, 
JEneas  and  Turnus  in  Virgil,  and  Michael  and  Satan  in  Milton," 


80  M'flNGAL.  CANTO    III, 

And  Jove  in  equal  balance   weigh'd 
The  fword  againft  the  brandifh'd  fpade, 
He  weigh'd ;  but  lighter  than  a  dream, 
The  fword  flew  up  and  kick'd  the  beam. 
Our  'Squire  on  tiptoe  rifmg  fair, 
Lifts  high  a  noble  ftroke  in  air. 
Which  hung  not,  but  like  dreadful  engines 
Defcendcd  on  the  foe  in  vengeance. 
But  ah  !  in  danger  with  difhonour, 
The  fword  perfidious  fails  its  owner ; 
That  fword,  which  oft  had  ftood  its  ground 
By  huge  train-bands  encompafs'd  round*, 
Or  on  the  bench,  with  blade  right  loyal, 
Had  won  the  day  at  many  a  trial, 
Of  flones  and  clubs  had  brav'd  th'  alarms, 
Shrunk  from  thefe  new  Vulcanian  arms. 
The  fpade  fo  temper'd  from  the  fledge, 
Nor  keen  nor  folid  harm'd  its  edge, 
Now  met  it  from  his  arm  of  might 
Defcending  with  deep  force  to  finite; 
The  blade  fhapM  fhort— - and  from  his  hand 
With  ruft  embrown'd  the  glitt'ring  fand. 
Swift  turn'd  MTingal  at  the  view, 
And  calPd  for  aid  th'  attendant  crew, 
In  vain ;  the  Tories  all  had  run, 
When  fcarce  the  fight  was  well  begun  5 

*  A  train  band  is  a  Captain's  company  in  the  MiKtia* 


THE 


8 1  M'FINGALo  CANTO    I Jl 

Their  fetting  wigs  he  faw  decreased, 
Far  in  th'  horizon  tow'rd  the  weft. 
Amaz'd  he  view'd  the  fhamcful  fight, 
And  faw  no  refuge  but  in  flight : 
But  age  unweiidy  check'd  his  pace, 
Tho*  fear  had  wing'd  his  flying  race  j 
For  not  a  trifling  prize  at  (lake ; 
No  lefs  than  great  M'Fingal's  back. 
With  legs  and  arms  he  work'd  his  courfe, 
Like  rider  that  outgoes  his  horfe, 
And  labour'd  hard  to  get  away,  as 
Old  Satan  *  ftruggling  on  thro'  Chaos  : 
Till,  looking  back,  he  fpied  in  rear 
The  fpade  arm'd  chief  advanced  too  near. 
Then  ftoppM  and  feiz'd  a  {tone  that  lay, 
An  antient  land-mark  near  the  way; 
Nor  fhall  we,  as  old  Bards  have  done, 
Affirm  it  weigh'd  an  hundred  ton  ; 
But  fuch  a  ftone  as  at  a  fhift 
A  modern  might  fuffice  to  lift. 
Since  men,  to  credit  their  enigmas, 
Are  dwindled  down  to  dwarfs  and  pigmies  3 
And  giants,  exil'd  with  their  cronies, 
To  Brobdingnags  and  Patagonies. 
But  while  our  hero  turn'd  him  round, 
And  ftoop'd  to  raife  it  from  the  ground* 

r<  In  Milton. 

M 


$2  Mc  FIN  GAL.  CANTO   III. 

The  deadly  fpade  difcharg'd  a  blow 

Tremendous  on  his  rear  below  : 

His  bent  knee  fail'd,   and  void  of  ftrength, 

Stretch'd  on  the  ground  his  manly  length ; 

Like  antient  oak  o'er-turn'd  he  lay, 

Or  tow'rs  to  tempefts  fall'n  a  prey, 

And  more  things  elfe — but  all  men  know  'em* 

If  flightly  vers'd  in  Epic  Poem. 

At  once  the  crew,  at  this  fad  crifis, 

Fall  on,  and  bind  him  ere  he  rifes, 

And  with  loud  Ihouts,  and  joyful  foul, 

Conduct  him  prisoner  to  the  pole. 

When  now  the  mob  in  lucky  hour, 
Had  got  their  enemies  in  their  pow'r, 
They  firft  proceed,  by  wife  command, 
To  take  the  conftable  in  hand. 
Then  from  the  pole's  fublimeft  top 
They  fpeeded  to  letdown  the  rope, 
At  once  its  other  end  in  hade  bind, 
And  make  it  fad  upon  his  waiftband, 
Till,  like  the  earth,  as  ftretch'd  on  tenter, 
He  hung  felf  balanced  on  his  center. 
Then  upwards,  all  hands  hoifting  fail, 
They  fwung  him,  like  a  keg  of  ale  j 
Till  to  the  pinnacle  fo  fair, 
He  rofe  like  meteor  in  the  air: 


CANTO    III.  MeFINGAL.  8j 

As  *  Socrates  of  old  at  firft  did 

To  aid  philofophy  get  hoifted, 

And  found  his  thoughts  flow  ftrangely  cle&r, 

Swing  in  a  bafket  in  mid  air: 

Our   culprit  thus,  in  purer  fky, 

With  like  advantage   raiAl  his   eye; 

And  looking  forth   in  profpect  wide 

His  Tory   errors  clearly  fpied, 

And  from  his  elevated  ftation, 

With  bawling   voice  began  addreflmg. 

cc  Good  gentlemen,  and  friends,  and  kin, 

For  HeavVs  fake  hear,  if  not  for  mine  ! 

I  here  renounce  the  Pope,  the  Turks, 

The  King,  the  Devil,  and  all  their  works  5 

And  will,  fet  me  but  once  at  eafe, 

Turn  Whig  or  Chriftian,  what  you  pleafe  ; 

And  always  mind  your  laws  as  juftly ; 

Should   I   live  long;  as  old  Methus'lah  •, 

Pll  never  join  with  Britifh  rage, 

Nor  help   Lord  North,  or  Gen'ral  Gage^ 

Nor  lift  my  gun  in  future  fights, 

Nor  take  away  your  charter'd  rights; 

Nor  overcome  your  new-raised  levies, 

Deftroy  your  towns,  nor  burn  your  navies ; 

Nor  cut  your  poles  down  while  I've  breath, 

Tho*  rais'd  more  thick  than  hatchel  teeth  : 

t  "  Socrates  is  rcprefented  in  Ariftophanes'>s  Comedy  of  the  Clouds, 
is  hoiited  in  a  bafket  to  aid  con  temp  lalion." 


4  M  ?  F  IN  G  A  L.  CANTO    I  I  I, 

But  leave  king  George  and  all  his  elves 
To  do  their  conquering  work  themfelves.'* 

This  laid,  they  lower 'd  him  down  in  ftate, 
Spiead  at  all  points,  like  falling  cat; 
But  took  a  vote  fiift  on  the  queflion, 
That  theVd  accept  this  full  confefllon, 
And  to  their  fellowfhip  and  favour* 
ReOore  him  on  his  good  behaviour. 

Njt  fo,  our  'Squire  fubmits  to  rulej 
But  ftood  heroic  as  a  mule. 
c*  You'll  find  it  all  in  vain,  quoth  he* 
To  play  your  rebel  ti  icks  on  me. 
All  punifhmtnts  the  world  can  render, 
Se:ve  only  to  provoke  th*  offender; 
1  he  will's  confirm'd  by  treatment  horrid, 
As  hides  grow  harder  when  they're  curriM 
No  man  e'er  felt  the  haker  draw2 
Wiih  good  opinion  of  the  law ; 
Or  held  in  method  orthodox 
His  love  of  juftice  in  the  Mocks ; 
Or  fail'd  to  lofe  by  fherifPs  fliears 
At  once  his  loyalty  and  ears. 
Wave  you  made  Murray  look  lefs  big, 
Or  fmoak'd  old  Williams  to  a  Whig? 
Did  our  mobbM  *  Oliver  quit  his  Ration, 
Or  heed  his  vows  of  refignation  ? 

*  This  h  (be  «  Chief -Judge  Oliver"   of  the  fi.ft  Canto,  in  w'hofc 
the  fag'acicus  M'Fingal  perceives  lhat  Heaven  had  r«> 


The  TOKTS 


CANTO    III.  MCFINGAL.  8$ 

Has  Hivington  t>  in  dread  of  ftripes, 
Ceas'd  lying  fince  you  (tole  his  types  ? 
And  can  you  think  my  faith  will  alter, 
By  tarring,  whipping,  or  the  halter  ? 
I'll  ftand  the  worft;  for  recompence 
I  trtift  King  George  and  Providence. 
And  when,  our  conqueft  gain'd,  I  comea 
Array'd  in  law  and  terror,  home, 
You'll  rue  this  inaufpicious  morn, 
And  curfe  the  day  you  e'er  were  born, 
In  Job's  high  ftyle  of  imprecations, 
With  all  his  plagues,  without  his  patience." 

hand.  One  ground  of  the  quarrel  between  the  Britifh  government 
and  the  people  of  Maflacbufrtts,  was  the  aft  by  which  the  Judges  of 
the  Colony  were  rendered  independent  of  the  Colony  Jbr  their  fala- 
ry,  as  well  as  for  their  places  ;  which  was  contrary  to  ancient  ufage. 
WTien  the  people  felt  thefe  particular  afts  of  oppteffion  from  a  power 
three  thoufand  miles  diftant,  their  only  method  of  redrcfs  was,  to 
prevent  any  perfon  from  accepting  an  office,  or  from  exercifing  its 
functions,  under  fuch  an  aft.  This  expedient  had  been  fuccefsful  in 
the  cafe  of  the  Stamp-aft  a  few  years  before  j  and  the  people  now  ap 
plied  to  Judge  Oliver,  requefting  him  to  refign  an  office,  the  new  ar 
rangement  of  which  fo  manifeflly  (truck  at  the  foundation  of  thsir  li 
berty.  The  Judge  promifed  to  refign  his  place;  but  afterwards  claim 
ed  that  "  highejl  privilege  9/fpeech^  which  M'Fingal  has  fo  well  vin 
dicate  i  in  favour  of  General  Gage. 

t  Here  again  is  an  old  acquaintance  of  the  firft  Canto.  His  paper, 
entitled  The.  Royal  Gazette,  had,  by  a  ftrange  combination  of  circum- 
ftances,  obtained  the  name,  through  all  the  country,  of  The  Lying  Ga~ 
$etts-  It  was  on  this  account  that  the  people  at  a  certain  time  fent  a 
committee  to  takeaway  hi<  types.  But  this  meafure  was  as  incffe&ual 
as  thole  that  were  ufcd  with  Murray,  Williams,  Oliver,  &c. 


SS  M'FINGAL,  CANTO  xus 

Like  fleet-bound  trees  in  wintry  fkieSj 

Or  Lapland   idol  carv'd  in  ice. 

And  now   the  feather-bag  difplay'd, 

Is  wav'd  in  triumph  o'er  his  head, 

And  fpread  him  o'er  with  feathers   miflive, 

And  down,  upon  the  tar  adheiive : 

Not  Maia's  fon,  with  wings  for  ears, 

Such   plumes  around  his  vifage   wears; 

Nor  Milton's  fix-wing'd  angel  gathers, 

Such  Superfluity  of  feathers. 

Till  all  com  pleat  appears  our  'Squire 

Like  Gorgon  or  Chimera  dire ; 

Nor  more  could  boaft  on  *  Plato's  plan 

To  rank  amid  the  race  of  man, 

Or  prove  his  claim  to  human  nature, 

As  a  two-legg'd,  unfeather'd  creature* 

Then  on  the  two-wheel'd  car  of  ftate> 
They  rais'd  our  grand  Duumvirate. 
And  as  at  Rome  a  like  committee. 
That  found  an  owl  within  their  city* 
With  folemn  rites  and  fad  procefllons, 
At  ev'ry  ihrine  perform'd  luflrations  *9 
And  left  infedlion  fhould  abound, 
From  prodigy  with  face  fo  round, 
All  Rome  attends  him  thro*  the  flreet, 
In  triumph  to  his  cou  n  try  -  feat ; 

"  *  Alluding    to  Plato's  famous  definition  of  Man,  *  Mtad 
Upes,  implumis." 


Tke  PRO  CE  S 


CANTO    III.  M'FINGAL.  $> 

With  like  devotion  all  the  choir 
Paraded  round  our  feather'd  'Squire  ; 
In  front  the  martial  mufic  comes 
Of  horns  and  fiddles,  fifes  and  drums* 
With  jingling  found  of  carriage  bells* 
And  treble  creak  of  rufted  wheels  5 
Behind,  the  crowd  in  lengthen'd  row, 
With  grave  proceflion  clos'd  the  fhow; 
And  at  fit  periods  ev'ry  throat 
Combined  in  univerfal  Ihoutj 
And  hail'd  great  Liberty  in  chorus, 
Or  bawl'd,  Confufion  to  the  Tories. 
Not  louder  ftorm  the  welkin  braves, 
From  clamors  of  confli&ing  waves ; 
Lefs  dire  in  Lybian  wilds  the  noife 
When  rav'ning  lions  lift  their  voice ; 
Or  triumphs  at  town-meetings  made; 
On  pafling  votes  to  reg'late  trade  *. 

Thus  having  borne  them  round  the  town> 
Lad  at  the  pole  they  fet  them  down, 
And  tow'rd  the  tavern  take  their  way, 
To  end  in   mirth  the  feftal  day. 

And  now  the  Mob,  difpers'd  and  gone, 
Left  'Squire  and  Conftable  alone. 

*  Such  votes  were  frequently  pa  lied  at  Town  meetings;  the 
object  of  which  was,  to  prevent  the  augmentation  of  prices  en 
the  neceflanes  of  life,  and  thus  to  obviate  the  effects  of  the  de 
preciation  of  the  paper- money. 

N' 


93  Mf  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO 

The  Conftable,  in  rueful   cafe, 

Lean'd  fad  and  folemn  o'er  a  brace, 

And  fad  befide  him,  cheek  by  jowl, 

Stuck  'Squire  M'Fingal  'gainft  the  pole5 

Glu'd  by  the  tar,  t*  his  rear  applied, 

Like  barnacle  on  vefTel's  fide  : 

But  tho'  his  body  lack'd  phyfician, 

His  fpirit  was  in  worfe  condition. 

He  found  his  fears  of  whips  and  ropes, 

By  many  a  drachm  out-weigh'd  his  hopes,  ^ 

As  men  in  gaol  without  main-prize, 

View  ev'ry  thing  with  other  eyes ; 

And  all  goes  wrong  in  church  and  ftate^ 

Seen  thro'  perfpeclive  of  the  grate  : 

So  now  McFingaPs  fecond-fight 

Beheld  all  things  in  different  light  ; 

His  vifual  nerve,  well  purg'd  with  tar, 

Saw  all   the  coming  fcenes  of  war. 

As  his  prophetic  foul  grew  ftronger, 

He  found  he  could  hold  in  no  longer  i 

Firft  from  the  pole,  as  fierce  he  fhook3 

His  wig  from  pitchy  durance  broke, 

His  mouth  unglu'd,  his  feathers  flutter 'd, 

His  tarr'd  (kirts  crack'd,  and  thus  he  utter'd : 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Conflable,  in  vain 

We  ftrive  'gainft  wind,  and  tide,  and  rain ! 

Behold  my  doom  !  this  feather'd  omen 

Portends  what  difmal  times  are  coming^ 


CANTO    III.  MCFINGAL» 

Now  future  fcenes  before  my  eyes, 
And  fecond-fighted  forms  arife  ; 
I  hear  a  voice  that  calls  away, 
And  cries  the  Whigs   will  win  the  day  3 
My  beck'ning  Genius  gives  command. 
And  bids  us  fly  the  fatal  land; 
Where,  changing  name  and  conflitution5 
Rebellion  turns  to  Revolution, 
While  Loyalty,  opprefs'd  in  tears, 
Stands  trembling  for  his  neck  and  ears. 
Go,  fummon  all  our  brethren  greeting, 
To  mufter  at  our  ufual  meeting. 
There  my  prophetic  voice  fhall  warn  'em., 
Of  all  things  future  that  concern  'em, 
And  fcenes  difclofe,  on  which,  my  friend, 
Their  conduct  and  their  lives  depend : 
There  I — but  firfl  'tis  more  of  ufe, 

.  From  this  vile  pole  to  fet  me  loofe  \ 

Then  go  with  cautious  ileps  and  fteady, 
While  I  fleer  home  and  make  all  ready." 


OF    CANTO    THIRD. 


T  OlOTEANJDEM QNI1TM, 


M'F   I   N   G   A   L 


CANTO     FOURTH, 


The 


NOW  night  came  down,  and  rofe  full  foon 
That  patronefs  of  rogues,  the  Moon, 
Beneath  whofe  kind,  protecting  ray, 
Wolves,  brute  and  human,  prowl  for  prey. 
The  honeft  world  all  fnored  in   chorus> 
While  owls,  and  ghoils,  and  thieves  and  Tories* 
Whom  erft  the  mid-day  fun  had  aw'd, 
Crept  from  their  lurking  holes  abroad. 
On  cautious  hinges,  flow  and  (tiller 
Wide  ope'd  the  great  M'Fingal's 


*  Panditur  inteiia  domns  omnipotentis 

Conciliumq  ;     vocat  Divum  pater  atq  ;  homintim  rea 
Sidcieara  in  fodem."  Lib,  10. 

o 


94  M(£  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    IV, 

Where,  Hint  from  prying  eyes  in  clutter, 
The  Tory  Pandemonium  mufter. 
Their  chiefs  all  fitting  round  defcry'd  are> 
On  kegs  of  ale,  and  feats  of  ciders 
When  firft  M'Fingal,  dimly  feen, 
Rofe  folemn  from  the  turnip-bin. 
Nor  yet  his  *form  had  wholly  loft 
The  orig'nal,brightnefs  it  could  boaft, 
Nor  lefs  appear'd  than  Juflice  Quorum, 
In  feather'd  majefty  before  'em. 
Adown  his  tar-ftreak'd  vifage   clear 
Fell  glifiening  faft  th*   indignant  tear, 
And  thus  his  voice,  in  mournful  wife, 
Purfu'd  the  prologue  of  his  fighs  : 

"  Brethren  and   friends,  the  glorious  band 
Of  loyalty   in  rebel  land  ! 
It  was  not  thus  you've  feen  me  fitting 
Returned   in  triumph  from    town-meeting, 
When  bluil'ring  Whigs  were  put  to  ftand, 
And  votes  obey'd  my  guiding  hand, 
And  new  commiflions  pleas'd  my  eyes ; 
Bled  days,  but,  ah,  no  more  to  rife ! 
Alas !  againft  my  better  light 
And  optics  fure  of  fecond-fight, 
My  flubborn  foul,   in  error  ftrong, 
Had  faith   in  Hutchinfbn  too  long. 

"  *  — —His  form  had  not  yet  loft 
All  i!8  original  brightnefs,  r:or  appear'd 
Lefs  thau  Archangel  ruin'd.* 


CANTO    IV.  IvIcFINGAL.  £5 

See   what  brave'  trophies   ftill  we   bring 

From  all  our  battles  for   the  king  ; 

And  yet  thefe  plagues,  now  pad  before  us, 

Are  but  our  entering-wedg,e  of  fbrrows. 

I  fee,  in  glooms  tempefr.uous,  ftand 

The  cloud  impending  o'er  the  land ; 

That  cloud,  which   ftill  beyond   their  hopes 

Serves  all  our  orators  with  tropes, 

Which  tho'  from  our  own  vapors  fed, 

Shall  point  its  thunders    on  our  head ! 

I   fee   the  Mob,  beflipp'd   in  taverns, 

Hunt  us,  like  wolves,  thro'  wilds  and  caverns ! 

What  dungeons  rife  t'  alarm  our  fears! 

What  horfe-whips  whittle   round  our   ears  ! 

Tar,  yet  in  embryo  in  the  pine, 

Shall  run,    on  Tories  backs  to  friine; 

Trees  rooted  fair   in  groves  of  fallows 

Are  growing  for  our  future   gallows ; 

And  geefe  unhatch'd,  when  pluck'd  in   fray, 

Shall  rue  the    feath'ring  of  that  day. 

For  me,  before  thefe  fatal   days, 

I  mean  to  fly  th*   accurfed   place, 

And  follow  omens,  which  of  late 

Have  warn'd  me  of  impending  fate  j 

Yet   pafs'd  unnotic'cl  o'er   my  view, 

Till  fad  conviction   prov'd  them  true  ; 

As  prophecies  of  beft  intent, 

Are  only  heeded  in  the   event:- 


g5  Mf  F  I  N  O  A  L.  CANTO    !V, 

For  late  in  vifions  of  the  night 
The  gallows   ftood  before   my  fight  ; 
I    faw  its  ladder  heav'd   on  end  ; 
I  faw  the  deadly   rope  defcend  ; 
And    in  its  noofe,  that  wav'ring  fwang, 
Friend  *  Malcolm  hung  or  feem'd  to  hang. 
How  changed   from  him,  who  bold  as  lion. 
Stood  Aid-de-Camp  to   Governor  Tryon, 
Made  rebels  vanifh   once,  like  witches, 
And  fav'd  his  life,  but   dropp'd  his  breeches, 
I  fcarce  had  made  a  fearful  bow, 
And   trembling  afk'd  him,  "  How  d'ye  do  ?M 
When  lifting  up  his  eyes  fo  wide, 
His  eyes  alone,  his  hands  were  tied; 
With  feeble  voice,  as  fpirits  ufe, 
Now  almoft  choak'd   with  gripe   of  noofe; 
cc  Ah,  *  fly,  my  friend  !  he  cri'd  ;  efcape  ! 
And  keep   yonrfelf  from  this  fad  fcrape; 


tl  *  Malcolm  was  a  Scotchman,  Aid  to  Governor  Tryon  in 
his  expedition  againft  the  Regulators  in  North'  Carolina,  where, 
an  the  engagement,  he  met  with  the  accident  of  the  breeches 
here  alluded  to.  He  was  afterwards  an  under- officer  of  the 
cufloms  in  Boflon,  where  becoming  obnoxious,  he  was  tarred, 
feathered,  and  half-hanged  by  the  mob,  about  the  year  1774* 
After  this  he  was  neglected  and  avoided  by  his  own  party,  and 
thinking  his  merits  and  fuffeiings  unrewarded,  appeared  equally 
malevolent  againir.  Whigs  and  Tories." 

"  The  pretences  of  the  Highlanders  to  prophecy  by  fecond- 
fight  are  too  \vell  known  to  r.eed  an  explanation.'' 

'*  *  There  i"  ?n  this  fcene,  a  general  allufion  to  the  appearance 
and  fpeech  of  Hc-£u>i's  ghofi,  in  ihefecond  book  of  the  /Eneio./' 


CANTO    IV.  M/F-I-NOAL.  97 

Enough  you've  talk'd,  and  writ,  and  plann'd ; 

The  Whigs  have  got  the  upper  hand. 

Dame  Fortune's  wheel  has   turn'd  fo  fhort, 

It  plung'd  us  fairly  in  the  dirt  5 

Could   mortal   arm  our  fears   have  ended, 

This  arm  (and  fliook  it)  had  defended. 

But  longer   now  'tis  vain  to  (lay ; 

See  e'en  the  Reg'lars  run  away  : 

Wait  not  till  things   grow  defperater, 

For  hanging  is  no  laughing  matter  : 

This  might  your  grandfires5  fortunes  tell  you  on, 

Who  both  were  hang'd  the  laft  rebellion  5 

Adventure  then   no  longer  flay, 

But  call  your  friends  and  run  away. 

For  Jo,  thro*  deepeft  glooms  of  night 

I  come  to  aid  thy  fecond  fight, 

Difclofe  the  plagues  that  round  us  wait 

And  wake  the  dark   decreees  of  Fate ; 

Afcend  this  ladder,  whence  unfurl'd 

The  curtain  opes  of  t'  other  world, 

For  here  new    worlds  their  fcenes  unfold, 

Seen  from  this  back-door  of  the   old  f . 

As   when   tineas    rifqu'd  his  life, 

Like  Orpheus  venturing  for  his  wife, 

And  bore  in  fliow  his  mortal  carcafc, 

Thro*  realms  of  Erebus  and  Orcus, 

t  That  the  gallows  is  the  lack-door  leading    from  ihis    to   the 
other    world,  is    a  perfe&ly  new    idea   in    Epic  Poetry  ; 


9$  MCFINGAL.  CANTO    IV. 

Then  in  the  happy  fields  Elyfian, 

Saw  all  his   embryon  fons  in  vifion : 

As,  fhown  by  great   archangel,  Michael, 

Old  Adam  faw   the   world's  whole  fequel, 

And  from  the  mount's    extended  fpace, 

The   rifing  fortunes  of  his  race  -, 

So  from  this  flage   fliak  thou  behold, 

The   war  its  coming  fcenes    unfold, 

Rais'd   by  my  arm  to  meet  thine  eye  ; 

My  Adam,  thou,  thine  Angel,  I. 

But  firft  my  pow'r  for   viiions  *  bright, 

Muft  cleanfe  from  clouds  thy  mental  fight, 

Remove  die  dim  fuffufions  fpread, 

Which  bribes  and   fal'ries  there  have  bred  -, 

And,  from   the  well  of  Bute,  infufe 

Three  genuine  drops  of  Highland  dews, 

To  purge,   like  euphrafy  and  rue, 

Thine  eyes,  for  much  thou    had  to  view. 

cc  Now,  freed   from  Tory   darknefs,  raife 
Thy  head,  and  fpy  the   coming  days  ; 
For  lo,  before  our  fecond-fight, 
The  Continent  afcends   in  light ; 
From  north  to  fouth,  what  gathering  fwarms, 
Increafe  the  pride  of  rebel  arms  ! 
Thro'   ev'ry  State  our  legions  brave. 
Speed  gallant  marches  to  the  grave, 

the  hjnt   might  have  been  taken  from  the  rear-trumpet  of  Farno 
in    Hudibras. 
««*  See  Milton's  Paradife  Loft,  Book  n." 


CANTO    IV*  MCFINGAL.  09 

Of  battling  Whigs  the  frequent  prize, 
While  rebel  trophies  flain  the  ikies. 
Behold,   o'er   northern   realms  afar  #, 
Extend  the   kindling  flames   of  war  I 
See  fam'd  St.  John's  and  Montreal, 
DoomM  by  Montgom'ry's  arm  to  fall! 
Where  Hudfon  with  majeftic  fway, 
Thro'  hills  difparted  plows  his  way ; 
Fate  fpreads  on   Bemus'  Heights  alarms, 
And  pours  definition  on  our  arms  ; 
There  Bennington's  enfanguin'd  plain, 
And  Stony-Point  the  prize  of  Wayne. 
Behold  near  DeF ware's  icy  roar. 
Where  morning  dawns   on  Trenton's  fhorc, 

*  Nothing  lefs  than  the  whole  Hiftory  of  the  American   Waf 
would  be  fufficient,    completely    to'  Uluftrate    the    merits  of  this 
fingle    paragraph.     Malcolm,  the  gallows-taught  prophet,  in  pre 
paring  the   mind  of  M'Fingal  to     contemplate,    with  proper  in-' 
telligence,  the  various  fcenes  that  are  to  rife  fucceffively  to  view 
in   the   courfe  of  the    Vifion,  glances   over    the    Continent,   and 
mentions  in  this  paffage  the  principal   fcenes  of  action,   from  the 
expedition  into   Canada    in  1775,    to    the  captute    of  Lord  Corn- 
v/allis  in  1781.     The  concluding  part  of  his  fpeech  is  therefore  a 
kind  of  argument  to  this    whole  book  of   Vifioa ;     in   which  the 
fame  objecls   are   unfolded   at    large  with  their  attendant  circum- 
flanccsj    in  order    that  they  may  make  a  proper  imprelTion  on  the 
eJevated  mind  of  the  great  M'Fingal;     It  is  thus    that    our  Poef, 
Like  Homer,  in  his  Iliad,  fdzes  all  occafions    to  do   honour    to   his 
principal  bero.     By  fuppofing  him  already  poiTefled  of   all  natural 
and  political  knowledge  that    could  be    obtained  by  mortal  itudy 
and   experience,    he   makes  him,   like  Achilles,  capable  of  receiv 
ing  inftruclion  only  by  the  agency  of  a  fuper-tenef^ial  power.      The 
advifers  of  Achilles  defcenckd  from  the   fkies,  that  of  M'Fingal   is 
mounted  towards  the  (kies» 


1OO  MCFINGAL.  CAtfTO    IV« 

While  Hefiians  fpread  their  Chriftmas  feafts, 
Rufh  rude  thefe  uninvited  guefts  ; 
Nor  aught  avail,   to  Whigs  a  prize, 
Their  martial  whifkers*  grifly  fize. 
On  Princeton  plains  our  heroes  yield, 
And  fpread  in    flight  the  vanquifh'd  field, 
While  fear  to  Mawhood's  heels  puts  on 
Wings,  wide  as  worn  by  Maia's  fon. 
Behold    the  Pennfylvanian  fhore, 
Enrich'd  with  flreams  of  Britifh  gore  5 
Where  many  a  vet'ran   chief  in  bed 
Of  honour  refts  his   flumb'ring  head, 
And  in  foft  vales  in  land  of  foes, 
Their  wearied  virtue  finds   repofe. 
See  plund'ring  Dunmore's  negro  band 
Fly  headlong  from  Virginia's  ftrand ; 
And  far  on  fouthern  hills,  our  coufins, 
The  Scotch  McDonalds,   fall  by  dozens  j 
Or  where  King's  Mountain  lifts   its  head, 
Our  ruin'd  bands   in  triumph   led ! 
Behold  o'er  Tarleton's    bluftring  train, 
The  Rebels   ftretch  the  captive  chain! 
Afar  near  Eutaw's  fatal  fp rings 
Defcending  Vi&'ry  fpreads  her  wings! 
Thro'  all  the   land   in   various  chace, 
We   hunt  the  rainbow  of  fuccefs ; 
In  vain  !  their   Chief,  fuperior   ftill; 
Eludes  our  force  with  Fabian  fkill$ 


IV.  M'FINGAL,  IOI 

Or  fwift  defcending   by  furprize, 
Like  Pruffia's  eagle  fweeps  the  prize." 

cc  I   look'd,  nor  yet,   oppreft  with  fears, 
Gave  credit   to  my  eyes  or  ears, 
But  held  the  views  an  empty  dream, 
On  Berkely's  immaterial  fcheme; 
And  pond'ring  fad  with  troubled  bread 
At  length  my  rifmg  doubts   exprefs'd. 

cc  Ah,  whither,  thus   by  rebels  fmitten, 
Is  fled  th*  omnipotence   of  Britain, 
Or   fail'd   his  ufual  guard  to  keep, 
Gone  traunting  or  faU'n   afleep  *  \ 
As  Baal  his  prophets  left  confounded, 
And  bawling  vot'ries  gauYd  and  wounded  ? 
Did  not,  retired  to  bow'rs  Elyfian, 
Great  Mars  leave  with  her  his  commifTiona 
And  Neptune  erft,  in  treaty  free, 
Give  up  dominion  o'er   the  fca  ? 
Elfe  where's  the  faith  of  fam'd  orations, 
Addrefs,  debate,  and  proclamations, 
Or  courtly  fermon,  laureat  ode> 
And  ballads  on  the  wat'ry  God  ; 

*  "  Cry  alond  :  for  he  is  god;  either  he  is  talking,  Or  KG  Ja 
puifuing,  or  he  is  in  a  journey,  or  paradventure  he  Jleepcth. — And 
they  cried  aloud,  and  cut  themfelves  after  their  manner  with  knives 
and  lancets. "  i  Kings,  chap,  xviii.  The  other  original  fubjecla 
alluded  to  in  the  fubfequent  part  of  this  fpecch,  may  be  found  by  the 
cu:ious  reader  in  the  various  and  immortal  \votks  ir.enticned  by  the} 
poet  iit the  text. 

P 


MCFINGAL.  CANTO    IV* 

With  whofe  high  drains  great  George  enriches 

His  eloquence  of  gracious   fpeeches  ? 

Not  faithful   to  our   Highland  eyes, 

Thefe  deadly  forms  of  vifion   rife  ; 

But  fure  fome   Whig-infpiring  fprite 

Now  palms  delufion  on  our  fight, 

I'd  fcarcely  truft    a   tale  fo  vain, 

Should  revelation  prompt  the  drain, 

Or  OlTians  ghoft  the  fcenes   rehearfe, 

In  all   the   melody    of  *  Erfe." 

cc  Too  long,  quoth  Malcolm,  with  confufion, 
You've  dwelt  already  in   delufion, 
As    Sceptics,   of  all  fools   the  chief, 
Hold  faith  in  creeds  of  unbelief. 
I   come  to  draw  thy  veil  afide 
Of  error,  prejudice,  and  pride. 
Fools  love  deception,  but  the  wife 
Prefer  fad  truths  to   pleafing  lies. 
For  know  thofe  hopes  ean  ne'er  fucceed 
That  truft  on   Britain's    breaking  reed. 
For  weak'ning  long  from  bad   to  worfe, 
By  fatal  atrophy  of  purfe, 
She  feels  at  length  with  trembling  heart, 
Her  foes  have  fpund  her  mortal  part. 
As  faniZd  Achilles,  dipt  by  Thetis 
In  Styx,  as  fung  in    antient  ditties, 

<c  *  Eifc,  the  aacient  Scottifli  language,  in  which  Offian  wro&F 
Tii<;  poems.1' 


CANTO    IV.  MCFINGAL.  IOJ 

Grew  all  cafe-harden'd  o'er  like  fteel, 

Invulnerable,  fave  his  heel, 

And  laugh'd  at  Iwords   and  fpears,  as   fquibs, 

And   all  difeafes,  but  the  kibes; 

Yet  met  at  laft  his  fatal  wound, 

By  Paris'   arrow  nail'd  to  th'  ground  : 

So  Britain's  boafted  ftrength  deferts, 

In  thefe  her  empire's  utmoft  fkirts, 

Remov'd  beyond  her  fierce  impreftlons, 

And  atmofphere  of  omniprefence  $ 

Nor  to  thefe  fhores  remoter  ends, 

Her  dwarf  omnipotence  extends  : 

Whence  in  this  turn  of  things  fo  ftrange, 

•*Tis  time  our  principles  to    change. 

For  vain  that  boafted  faith,  which  gathers 

No  perquifite,  but   tar  and   feathers, 

No  pay,  but  Whig's  infulting  malice, 

And  no  promotion  but  the  gallows. 

I've  long  enough  flood  firm    and   fteady, 

Half-hang'd  for  loyalty  already : 

And  could  I  fave  my  neck  and  pelf, 

I'd  turn  a  flaming   whig  myielf, 

And  quit  this  caufe,  snd  conrfe,  and  calling, 

Like  rats  that  fly  from  houfe  that's  falling. 

But  fince,  obnoxious  here  to  Fate, 

This  faving  wiidom  comes  too  late, 

Our   nobleft  hopes  already  croft, 

Our  fal'ries  gone,  our  tides  loft, 


IO4  M  c  F  I  N  G  A  L,  CANTO    I'V. 

DoonYd   to  worfc  fufPiings  from  the  mob, 
Than  Satan's  furg'ries  ufed  on  Job ; 
What  more  remains   but  now  with  fleight, 
What's  left  of  us  to  fave  by  flight  ? 

a  Now  raife  thine  eyes ;  for  vifions  true 
Again  afcending  wait  thy  view." 
I  look'd  >  and  clad  in  early  light, 
The  fpires  of  Bofton  rofe  to  fight; 
The  morn  o'er  eaflern  hills  afar, 
Illumin'd  the  varying  fcenes  of  war. 
Great  Howe   had  long  fmce  in  the  lap 
Of  JLoring  taken  out  his  nap, 
And  with  the  fun's  afcending  ray, 
The  cuckold  came  to  take  his   pay. 
When  all  th'  encircling  hills  around, 
With  inftantaneous  breaft-works  crown'd, 
With  pointed  thunders  met  his  light, 
By   magic  rear'd  the  former  night. 
Each  fummit  far,  as  eye  commands, 
Shone  peopled  with  rebellious  bands. 
Aloft   their  tow'ring   heroes  rife, 
As  Titans  erft   aflail'd  the  fkies, 
Leagu'd  with  fuperior  force  to  prove^ 
The  fcepter'd  hand  of  Britilh  Jove. 
Mounds,  pil'd  on  hills,  afcended  fair 
With  batt'ries  plac'd  in  middle  air, 
That,  rais'd  like  angry  clouds  on 
Seem'd  like  th*  artill'ry  of  the  fky, 


CANTO  IV.  Mc  FIN  GAL.  105 

And  huiTd  their  fiery  bolts  amain, 

In  thunder  on  the  trembling  plain. 

I  faw  along  the  proftrate  ftrand, 

Our  baffl'd   Gen'rals  quit  the  land, 

And,  fwift  as  frighted  mermaids,  flee, 

T'  our  boafled  element,   the  fea! 

Refign  that  long  contefted  ihore, 

Again  the   prize    of  rebel-power, 

And  tow'rd   their  town-  of  refuge  fly, 

Like  convid  Jews,  condemn'd  to  die. 

Then  tow'rd  the  north,  I  ttirn'd  my  eyes, 

Where  Saratoga's  height  arife, 

And  faw  our  chofen  vet'ran  band, 

Defcend  in  terror  o'er  the  land  > 

T'  oppofe  their  fury  of  alarms 

•Saw  all  New-England  wake  to  arms, 

And  ev'ry  Yanky>  full  of  mettle, 

Swarm  forth,  like  bees  at  found  of  kettle. 

Not  Rome,  when  Tarquin  rape'd  Lucretia, 

Saw  wilder  muft'ring  of  militia. 

Thro*  all  the  woods  and  plains   of  fight, 

What  mortal  battles  fill'd  my  fight, 

While  Britifh  corfes  ftrew'd  the  fhore, 

And  Hudfon  ting'd   his  dreams  with  gore  ! 

What  tongue  can  tell  the  difmal  day, 

Or  paint  the  party- colour'd  fray ; 

When  yeomen  left  their  fields  afar, 

To  plow  the  crimfon  plains  of  war  -a 


IO6  Mf  F  I  N  G  A  L  CANTO    IV. 

When  zeal  to  fwords  transform'd  their  fhares, 
And  turned  their  pruning-hooks  to  fpears, 
Changed  tailor's  geefe  to  guns  and  ball, 
And  ftretch'd  to  pikes  the  cooler's  awl; 
While  hunters   fierce,  like  mighty  Nimrod, 
Made  on  our  troops  a  daring  inroad  j 
And  leveling  fquint  on  barrel  round, 
Brought  our  beau-officers  to  ground ; 
While  rifle-frocks  fent  Gen'rals  cap'ring, 
And  redcoats  fhrunk   from   leathern  apron> 
And  epaulette   and  gorget  run 
From  whinyard  brown  and  rufty  gun : 
While  fun-burnt  whigs  in  high  command, 
Rulh  furious  on  our  frighted  band, 
And   ancient  beards  and  hoary   hair, 
Like  meteors  ftream  in  troubled  air. 
With  locks  unfhorne  not  Samfon   more 
Made  ufelefs  all  the  fhow  of  war, 
Nor  fought  with  afTes  jaw  for  rarity, 
With   more  fuccefs  or  fingularity. 
I  faw  our  vet'ran  thoufands  yield 
And  pile  their  mufkets  on  the  field, 
And  peafant  guards,   in  rueful  plight, 
March   off*  our  captur'd   bands  from   fight  ; 
While  ev'ry  rebel-fife  in  play, 
To  Yanky-doodle  tun'd  its  lay, 
And  like  the  mufic  of  the  fpheres, 
Mellifluous  footh'd   their  vanquifh'd  ears. 


IV.  M  c  F  I  N  O  A  L.  107 

"Alas,  faid  I,  what  baleful  ftar, 
Sheds  fatal -influence  on  the  war, 
And  who  that  chofen  Chief  of  fame, 
That  heads  this  grand  parade  of  fhame? 

cc  There  fee  how  Fate,  great   Malcolm  cried^ 
Strikes  with  its   bolts  the  tow'rs   of  pride. 
Behold  that  martial  Macaroni, 
Compound  of  Phoebus   and  Bellona, 
With  warlike  fword  and   fing-fong  lay, 
Equipped  alike  for  feafl  or  fray, 
Where  equal  wit  and  valour  join ; 
This,  this  is  he,  the  fam'd  Burgoync : 
Who  pawn'd  his  honor  and  commiffion, 
To  coax   the  •  Patriots  to  fubmiflion, 
By  fongs  and  balls  fecure  obedience, 
And  dance  the  ladies  to  allegiance. 
Oft  his  camp  mufes  he'll  parade, 
At  Bofton  in  the  grand  blockade, 
And  well  invok'd  with  punch  of  arrack, 
Hold  converfe  fweet   in  tent  or  barrack, 
Infpir'd  in  more  heroic  fafhion, 
Both  by  his  theme  and  fituation  ; 
While  Farce  and  Proclamation  grand, 
Rife  fair   beneath   his  plaftic  hand. 
For  genius  fwells  more  ftrong  and   clear 
When   clofe  confin'd,  like  bottl'd  beer : 
So  Prior's  wit  gain'd  greater 
By  infpiration  of  the  tow'rj 


IC8  MCFINGAL.  CANTO    IV. 

And  Raleigh,  faft  in  prifon  hurl'd, 

Wrote  all  the  Hift'ry  of  the  World  : 

So  Wilkes  grew,  while  in  goal  he  lay, 

More  patriotic  ev'ry  day, 

But  found  his  zeal,  when    not  confin'd, 

Soon  fink  below  the  freezing  point, 

And  public  fpirit,   once  fo  fair, 

Evaporate   in   open  air. 

But  thou,  great  favorite  of  Venus, 

By  no  fuch  luck   (hall  cramp  thy  genius  * 

Thy  friendly  ftars  till  wars  fhall  ceafe, 

Shall  ward  th'  ill  fortune  of  releafe, 

And  hold  thee  fad  in    bonds  not  feeble, 

In  good  condition  frill   to  fcribble. 

Such  merit  Fate   lhall   fhield   from  firing, 

Bomb,  carcafe,  langridge,  and  cold  iron, 

Nor  trufts  thy  doubly  laurelPd  head, 

To  rude  afTaults  of  flying  lead. 

Hence  in  this    Saratogue  retreat, 

For  pure  good  fortune  thou'lt  be  beat ; 

Not  taken  oft,   released  or  refcu'd, 

Pafs  for  fmall  change,  like  fimple  Prefcott*$ 

But  captur'd  there,  as  Fates  befall, 

Shall  ftand  thy  hand  for't,   once  for  all. 

Then  raife  thy  daring  thoughts  fublime, 

And  dip  thy  conqu'ring  pen  in   rhyme, 

*  General  P.-efcott  was  taken  and  exchanged  feveral  times  dur 
ing  the  war. 


CANTO    IV.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L. 

And  changing  war  for  puns  and  jokes, 

Write   new  Blockades   and  Maids   of  Oaks. 3*" 

This  faid,  he  turn'd,  and  faw  the   tale 
Had  dy'd  my  trembling  cheeks  with  pale  j 
Then,  pitying,  in    a  milder  vein 
Purfu'd  the    viiionary   flrain. 

<c  Too    much,  perhaps,  hath  pair/d  your  views 
Of  vift'ries  gain'd    by  rebel  crews  -, 
Now  fee  the  deeds,   not  fmall  nor  fcanty, 
Of  Britifli  Valour  and   Human'ty ; 
And  learn  from  this  aufpicious  fight, 
How  England's   fons  and  friends   can  fight5 
In  what  dread  fcenes   their  courage  grows> 
And  how  they  conquer  all  their  foes." 

I  look'd  %nd  faw  in    wintry  Ikies 
Our  fpacious   prifon- walls  arife, 
Where  Britons  all  their  captives  taming* 
Plied  them  with  fcourging,  cold,  and  famine  $ 
Reduc*d  to  life's  concluding  ftages, 
By  noxious  food  and  plagues  contagious* 
Aloft  the   mighty  f  Loring  ilood5 
And  thrived,  like  J  Vampyre,  on  their  blood  \ 

"  *  The  Maid  of  the  Oaks  and  the  Blockade  ofBofton,  are  farces 
-—the  firft  acknowledged  by  General  Burgoyne,  the  other  generally 
afcribed  to  him." 

t  Loring  was  a  Refugee  from  Bofton,  made  commifiary  of  prifo« 
rers  by  General  Howe.  The  confurnmate  cruelties  praftifcd  on  the 
American  prifoners  under  Loring's  adminiftration  nun  oft  exceed  the 
ordinary  powers  of  human  invention.  If  a  fimpie  fta:ement  offa6h 


Mf  FIN  GAL.  CANTO    IV. 

And  counting  all  his  gains  arifing, 

Dfalt  daily  rations  out  of  poifon. 

Amid  the  dead  that  croud  the  fcene, 

The  moving  fkeletons  were  feen. 

At  hand  our  troops  in  vaunting  (trains* 

Infuhed  ail  their  wants  and  pains, 

And  turn'd  on  all  the  dying  tribe, 

The  bitter  taunt  and  feornful  gibe  : 

And  Britiii  officers  of  might, 

Triumphant  at  the  joyful  fight, 

O'er  foes  difarm'd  with  courage  daring, 

Exhaufted  all  their  tropes  of  fwearing. 

Around  all  ftain'd  with  rebel  blood, 

JJke  Milton's  lazar-houfe  it  flood,  , 

Where  grim  Defpair  attended  nurfe, 

And  Death  was  Governor  of  the  houfe. 

Amaz'd,  I  cried,  "  Is  this  the  way, 

That  Britifh  Valor  wins  the  day  ?" 

relative  to  this  bufinefs  were  properly  drawn  up  and  authenticated,  it 
would  furnim  the  friends  of  humanity  with  new  images  of  horror  in 
contemplating  the  ravages  of  war;  efpecially  a  war  that  obtains  the 
name  of  rebellion,  and  is  tarried  on  at  a  diflance  from  the  eye  of  the 
nation.  The  conduft  of  the  Turks  in  putting  all  prifoners  to  death  is 
certainly  much  more  rational  and  humane,  than  that  of  the  Britifh 

,  army  For  the  three  firft  years  of  the  American  war,  or  till  after  the 
capture  of  Burgoync,,  We  except  from  this  general  obfervation,  the 
cor.dtift  of  Lord  Dorchefler  in  Canada;  he  a£led  on  the  common 
pi  inciples  of  war,  as  now  praftifed  in  Europe. 

"  t  The  notion  of  Vaffipyres  is  a  fuperftition,  that  has  greatly  pre. 
v.'iiled  in  many  pans  of  Europe.     They  pretend  it  is  a  dead  body, 

1  which  rifes  out  of  its  grave  in  the  nightj  and  fucks  the  blood  of  the 


CANTO    IV.  Mc  FIN  GAL.  lit 

More  had  I  faid,  in  drains  unwelcome, 
Till  interrupted  thus  by  Malcolm  : 
cc  Blame  not,  'quoth  he,  but  learn  the  reafon 
Of  this  new  mode  of  conquering  treafon. 
3Tis  but  a  wife,  politic  plan, 
To  root  out  all  the  rebel-clan  ; 
(For  furely  treafon  ne'er  can  thrive, 
Where  not  a  foul  is  left  alive  :) 
A  fcheme,  all  other  chiefs  to  furpafs, 
And  do  the  effectual  work  to  purpofe, 
For  war  itfelf  is  nothing  further, 
But  th*  art  and  myftery  of  murther, 
And  who  mod  methods  has  effay'd, 
Is  the  beft  General  of  the  trade, 
And  {lands  Death's  Plenipotentiary, 
To  conquer,  poifon,  (larve,  and  bury. 
This  Howe  well  knew,  and  thus  began, 
(Defpiflng  Carleton's  coaxing  plan, 
Who  kept  his  prisoners  well  and  merry, 
And  dealt  them  food  like  Comrnifiar/, 
And  by  paroles  and  ranfoms  vain, 
Difmifs'd  them  all  to  fight  again  :) 
Whence  his  firfl  captives,  with  great  fpirit, 
He  tied  up  for  his  troops  to  fire  *  at 
And  hop'd  they'd  learn,  on  foes  thus  taken, 
To  aim  at  rebels  without  fhaking. 

"  *  This  was  done  openly  and  without  cenfure  by  the  troops 
under  Howe's  command  in  many  inftances,  on  his  fit  ft  conquelt  of 
Long-Ifland," 


112  M  c  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO 

Then,  wife  in  ftratagem  he  plann'd 

The  fure  deft  ruction  of  the  land, 

Turn'd  famine,  ficknefs,  and  defpair, 

To  ufeful  enginry  of  war, 

Inftead  of  cannon,  mufket,  mortar, 

Us'd  peililence,  and  death,  and  torture, 

Sent  forth  the  fin  all-pox,  and  the  greater, 

To  thin  the  land  of  ev'ry  traitor, 

And  order'd  out  with  like  endeavor., 

Detachments  of  the  prifon-fever ; 

Spread  defolation  o'er  their  head, 

And  plagues  in  Providence's  ilead, 

Perform'd  with  equal  fldll  and  beauty, 

Th'  avenging  angel's  tour  of  duty, 

Brought  all  the  elements  to  join, 

And  ftars  t'  aflift  the  great  defign  ; 

As  once  in  league  with  Kifhon's  brook, 

Fam'd  Ifrael's  foes  they  fought  and  took. 

Then  proud  to  raife  a  glorious  name, 

And  em'lous  of  his  country's  fame, 

He  bade  thefe  prifon-walls  arife, 

Like  temple  tow'ring  to  jhe  ikies, 

Where  Britifh  Clemency  renown'd, 

Might  fix  her  feat  on  facred  ground  -s 

(That  virtue,  as  each  herald  faith, 

Of  whole  blood  kin  to  Punic  Faith  ;) 

Where  all  her  God-like    pow'rs  unveiling, 


CANTO    IV.  MCFINGAL. 

She   finds  a  grateful  fhrine  to  dwell  in. 
Then,   at  this  altar  for  her   honour, 
Chofe  this  High-prieft  to  wait  upon  her, 
Wh6  with  juft  rites,  in  ancient   guifes, 
Prefents  thefe  human  facrifices; 
Great  Loring,  fam'd  above  all  laymen, 
A  proper  Prieil  for  Lybian  Ammon, 
Who,  while  Howe's  gift  his  brows  adorns, 
Had  match'd  that    deity  in  horns. 
Here   ev'ry  day  her  votaries  tell, 
She  more  devours  than  thj  idol  Bel ; 
And  thirds  more   rav'noufly  for   gore, 
Than  any  worfhip'd  Power  before. 
That  ancient  Heathen  Godhead,  Moloch, 
Oft  ftay'd   his  ftomach  with  a  bullock, 
Or  if  his  morning  rage  you'd  check  firft, 
One  child  fuffic'd  him  for  a.breakfaft. 
But  Britifh  Clemency,   with  zeal, 
Devours  her  hundreds  at  a  meal; 
Right  well  by  Nat'ralifts   defined, 
A  Being  of  carniv'rous  kind : 
So  erft  *  Gargantau  pleas'd  his  palate, 
And  eat  his  pilgrims  up  for  fallad. 
Not  bleil  with  maw   lefs  ceremonious. 
The  wide-mouth'd  whale  that,  fwallow'cl  Joi 
Like  earthquake  gapes,  to  death  devote, 
That  open  fepulchre,  her  throat ; 

"  *  Set  Rabelais'sHiaory  of  the  Giant  Garc:,-ua," 


114  Mc  FIN- GAL.  CANTO    IVv 

The  grave,  or  barren  womb  you'd  fluff, 

And  fooner  bring  to  cry^  enough  j 

Or  fatten  up  to  fair  condition, 

The  lean-fiefti'd  kine  of  Pharaoh's  vifion. 

"  Behold  her  temple  where  it  (lands 
Erect  by  fam'd  Britannic  hands  •, 
'Th  the  Black-hole  of  Indian  ftruclure, 
New-built  with  Englifh  architecture, 
On  plan,  'tis  faid,  contriv'd  and  wrote, 
By  Clive,  before  he  cut  his 'throat ; 
Who  ere  he  took  himfelf  in  hand, 
Was  her  High-pried  in  Nabob-land : 
And  when  with  conquering  glory  crown'd, 
He'd  well  enflay'd  the  nation  round, 
With  pitying  heart  the  gen'rous  chief, 
(Since  (lav'ry's  worfe  than  lofs  of  life,) 
Bade  defolation  circle  far, 
And  famine  end  the   work  of  war  ; 
Thus  loosed  their  chains,  and  for  their  merits, 
Difmifs  them  free  to  worlds  of  fpirits  ; 
Whence  they  with  gratitude  and  praife, 
Return'd  *  tf  attend  his  latter  days, 
And  hov'ring  round  his  reftlefs  bed, 
Spread  nightly  vifions  o'er  his  head. 

"  Now  turn,  he  cried,  to  nobler  fights, 
And  mark  the  prowefs  of  our  fights : 

"*  Clive  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life  conceived  himfelf  perpet 
ually  haunted  by  -heghofts  of  thofe,  who  were  the  vi&ims  of  hisBii- 
tifti  humanity  in  the  Eaft- Indies." 


CANTO    IV.  M  'FIN  GAL. 

Behold  like  whelps  of  Britifli  Lion, 
The  warriors,  Clinton,  Vaughan,  and  Try  on, 
March  forth  with  patriotic  joy, 
To  ravifli,  plunder,  burn,  deftroy. 
Great  Gen'rals,  foremoft  in  the  nation, 
The  journeymen  of  Defolation  ! 
Like  Samfon's  foxes  each  aflails, 
Let  loofe  with  firebrands  in  their  tails, 
And  fpreads  deftruction  more  forlorn, 
Than  they  did  in  Philiftine  corn. 
And  fee  in  flames  their  triumphs  rife, 
Illuming  all  the  nether  fkies, 
A  nd  flreaming,  like  a  new  Aurora, 
The  weftern  hemifphere  with  glory  I 
What  towns,  in  afhes  laid,  confefs 
Thefe  heroes'  prowefs  and  fuccefs ! 
What  blacken'd  walls,  or  burning  fane, 
For  trophies  fpread  the  ruin'd  plain  ! 
What  females,  caught  in  evil  hour, 
By  force  fubmit  to  Britifli  power, 
Or  plunder'd  Negroes  in  difafter 
Confefs  King  George  their  lord  and  mafter ! 
What  crimfon  corfes  drew  their  way 
Till  fmoaking  carnage  dims  the  clay  ! 
Along  the  fhore,  for  fnre  reduction, 
They  wield  their  befom  of  deftruction. 
Great  Homer  likens,  in  his  Ilias, 
ii   To  dog-ftar  bright  the  fierce  Achilles ; 


M'FINGAL.  CANTO    IV. 

But  ne'er  beheld  in  red  proceffion, 
Three  dog-ftars  rife  in  conftellation  5 
Or  faw  in  glooms  of  ev'ning  mifty, 
Such  figns  of  fiery  triplicity, 
Which  far  beyond  the  comet's  tail, 
Portend  deftru&ion  where  they  fail. 
Oh  !  had  Great-Britain's  god-like  fhore, 
Produced  but  ten  fuch  heroes  more. 
They'd  fpar'd  the  pains,  and  held  the  flation 
Of  this  world's  final  conflagration, 
Which,  when  its  time  comes,  at  a  fland, 
Would  find  its  work  all  done  t'  its  hand  ! 

<c  Yet  tho'  gay  hopes  our  eyes  may  blels ; 
Indignant  fate  forbids  fuccefs  ; 
Like  morning  dreams  our  conqueft  flies,        v 
Difpers'd  before  the  dawn  arife." 

Here  Malcolm  paused ;  when,  pond'ring  long, 
Grief  thus  gave  utt'rance  to  my  tongue. 
<c  Where  fhrink  in  fear  our  friends  difmay'd, 
And  all  the  Tories'  promised  aid  ? 
Can  none  amid  thefe  fierce  alarms 
Affift  the  pow'r  of  royal  arms  ?" 
<c  In  vain,  he  cried,  our  king  depends, 
On  promised  aid  of  Tory-friends. 
When  our  own  efforts  want  fuccefs, 
Friends  ever  fail  as  fears  increafe. 
As  leaves,  in  blooming  verdure  wove, 


CANTO    IV.  MCFINGAL.  II? 

In  warmth  of  fumtner  cloath  the  grove, 

But  when  autumnal  frofts  arife, 

Leave  bare  their  trunk,  to  wintry  fkies  i 

So  while  your  pow'r  can  aid  their  ends, 

You  ne*er  can  need  ten  thoufand  friends, 

But,  once  in  want  by  foes  difmay'd, 

May  advertife  them  ftol'n  or  ftray'd. 

Thus,  ere  Great-Britain's  flrength  grew  flack, 

She  gain'd  that  aid,  ftie  did  not  lack> 

But  now  in  dread,  imploring  pity, 

All  hear  unmov'd  her  dorrous  ditty  5 

Allegiance  wand'ring  turns  aftray, 

And  faith  grows  dim  for  lack  of  pay* 

In  vain  fhe  tries  by  new  inventions, 

Fear,  falfhood,  flatt'ry,  threats,  and  pennons* 

Or  fends  Commifs'ners  with  credentials* 

Of  promifes  and  penitentials. 

As,  for  his  fare  o'er  Styx  of  old, 

*  The  pafiage  that  here  follows  is  to  be  explained  thus :  In  the  year 
1778,  after  the  war  had  been  raging  tbjree  years,  and  the  capture  o£ 
Burgoyne's  army  was  known  in  England,  the  Britifli  government  con* 
eluded  to  give  up  all  the  objects  for  which  the  conteft  had  been  begun. 
It'accordingly  pafled  an  aft  repealing  all  the  a£bof  which  the  Ameri 
cans  complained,  provided  we  would  re-fcind  our  declaration  of  Inde 
pendence,  and  continue  to  be  their  colonies.  The  Miniftry  then  fent 
over  three  Commiffioners,  Mr.  Johnftone,  Mr.  Eden,  and  Lord  Car- 
lifle.  Thefe  commiffioners  began  their  operations,  and  fioiftied  them 
by  attempting  to  bribe  individuals  among  the  members  of  the  States, 
and  of  the  army.  This  bait  appears  to  have  caught  nobody  but  Arnold. 
Thepetttccatfdpolitition,  here  mentioned,  is  a  woman  of  Philadelphia, 
(and  a  Lady  of  confiderable  diftir.cYion)  thiough  whofe  agency  they 
offered  a  bribe  tojofeph  Head,  Governor  of  Pcnnfylvania, 

R 


I  1 8  M  c  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    IV, 

The   Trojan  dole  the   bough  of  gold, 
And,  left  grim  Cerb'rus  fhould  make  head, 
StufPd  both  his  fobs  with  *  gingerbread  -, 
Behold  at  Britain's   utmoft  fhifts, 
Comes    Johnftone,  loaded  with  like  gifts, 
To  venture  thro'  the  whiggifli    tribe, 
To  cuddle,  wheedle,  coax,  and  bribe. 
Enter  their   lands,  and  on  his  journey, 
PofTefiion  take,  as  King's  Attorney, 
Buy  all  the  vafials  to  protecl  him, 
And  bribe  the  tenants  not  t'  eject  him  ; 
And  call,  to  aid  his  defp'rate  miflion, 
His   petticoated   politician, 
While  Venus,  join'd   to*  affift  the  farce, 
Strolls  forth  ambaffador  for  Mars. 
In  vain  he  drives,   (for  while  he   lingers, 
Thefe  maftifts  bite  his  offering  fingers,) 

Nor  buys  for  George  and  realms   infernal, 

One  fpaniel,  but  the   mongrel  Arnold. 

'Twere  vain  to  paint  in  viGon'd  fhow, 

The  mighty   nothings  done   by  Howe ; 

What  towns  he   takes  in  mortal  fray, 

As  ftations,  whence  to  run  away  ; 

What  conquefts  gain'd   in  battles  warm, 

To  us  no  aid,  to  them  no  harm  ; 

For  dill  thj  event  alike  is   fatal, 

Whate'er  fuccefs  attend   the  battle, 

* Medicatam  frugibus  ofFam.  /5:  neid,  lib.  vi.  410, 


CANTO  iv.  M'FINGAL.  119 

If  he  gain  viftory,  or  lofe  it, 
Who  ne'er  had  fkill   enough  to  life  it  -, 
And  better  'twere,  at  their  expence, 
T*  have  drubb'd  him   into  common  fenfe, 
And  wak'd  by  bailings  on   his  rear, 
Th'  activity,  tho*  but  of  fear, 
By  flow  advance  his   arms  prevail, 
Like  emblematic  march  of  fnail ; 
That,  be  Millenium  nigh  or  far, 
'Twould  long  before  him  end  the  war. 
From  York  to  Philadelphian  ground, 
He  fweeps  the  mighty  flourifh  round, 
WheeFd  circ'lar  by  exccntric  ftars, 
Like  racing  boys  at   Prifon-bars  *, 
Who  take  the  adverfe   crew  in  whole, 
By  running  round  the   opp'fite  goal ; 
Works  wide  the  traverfe  of  his  courfe, 
Like  Ihip  in  ftorms'   oppofing  force, 
Like  mill-horfe,  circling  in  his  race, 
Advances  not   a  fingle  pace, 
And  leaves   no  trophies  of  reduction, 
Save  that  of  canker-worms,  deftruction. 
Thus,  having  long  both  countries  curft, 
He  quits  them,  as  he  found  them  fir  ft, 
Steers   home  difgrac'd,  of  little  worth, 
To  join  Burgoyne,  and  rail  at  North. 

*  Prifon-bars  is  a  kind  of  juvenile  conteft  fufficiently  defcribed 
here.  How  far  our  author  is  juftifiable  in  com  paring  to  it  the  oper 
ations  of  General  Howe  in  America  is  left  to  be  determined  by  thofe 
military  men  who  know  the  biilory  of  his  manoeuvres. 


120  M'FINGAL.  CANTO  iv. 

cc  Now  raife  thine  eyes,  and  view  with  pleafure, 
The  triumphs  of  his  fam'd  fucceffor." 
I  look'd,   and  now  by   magic  lore, 
Faint  rofe  to   view  the  Jerley  fliore; 
But  dimly  feen,   in  glooms   array'd, 
For  Night  had   pour'd  her  fable  fhade, 
And  ev'ry  ftar,  with  glimm'rings   pale> 
Was  muffled  deep  in  ev'ning  veil  : 
Scarce  vifible  in  dufky  night, 
Advancing  Red-coats  *  rofe  to  fight  j 
The  lengthen'd  train,  in  gleaming  rows, 
Stole  filent  from  their  flumb'ring  foes, 
Slow  mov'd  the  baggage,  and  the  train, 
Like  fnails,  crept  noifelefs  o'er  the  plain  $ 
No  trembling  foldier  dar'd  to  fpeak, 
And  not  a  wheel  prefum'd   to  creak. 
f  My  looks  my  new  furprize  confefs'd, 
Till  by  great  Malcolm  thus  addref'd : 
e(  Spend  not  thy  wits  in  vain  refearches  ; 
'Tis  one  of  Clinton's  moon-light  marches. 
From  Philadelphia   now  retreating, 
To  fave  his  anxious  troops  a  beating, 
With  hafty  ftride  he  flies  in  vain, 
His  rear  attack'd  on  Monmouth  plain : 
With  various  chance  the  mortal  fray 
Is  lengthened  to  the  clofe  of  day, 
When  his  tir'd  bands,  o'ermatch'd  in  fighta 
Are  refcu*d  by  defcending  night, 

*  Red  Coats,  a  term  for  Brltifh  troops, 


THE 


CANTO  iv.  M'FINGAL.  121 

He  forms  his  camp  with  vain  parade, 
Till  evening  fpreads  the  world  with  iriade, 
Then  Hill,  like  fome  endangered  fpark, 
Steals  off  on  tiptoe  in  the  dark  ; 
Yet  writes  his  king,   in  boafting  tone, 
How  grand  he  march'd  by  light  of  moon  *. 
I   fee  him,  but  thou  can'ft  not  ;  proud 
He  leads  in  front  the  trembling  crowd, 
And  wifely  knows,  if  danger's  near, 
'Twill  fall  the  heavieft  on  his-  rear. 

I 

Go  on  great   Gen'ral^or  regard 
The  feoffs  of  ev'ry  fcribbling  bard, 
Who  fing  how  Gods  that   fatal  night 
Aided  by  miracles  your  flight, 
As  once  they  us'd,  in  Homer's  day, 
To  help  weak  heroes  run  away; 
Tell  how  the  hours  at  awful  trial, 
Went  back,  as  erft  on  Ahaz'  dial, 
While  Britifh  Joftiua  flay'd  the   moon, 
On  Monmouth  plains,  for  Ajalon  : 
Heed  not  their  fneers  and  gibes  fo  arch, 
Becaufe  fhe  fet  before  your  march. 
A  fmall  miftake,  your  meaning  right, 
You  take  her  influence  for  her  light; 
Her  influence,  which  fhall  be  your   guide, 
And  o'er  your  Gen'ralfhip  prefidc. 

*  The  circumflance  of  Gen.  Clinton's  official  difpatches,  giving 
an  at  count  of  his  marching  from  Monmouth  by  moonlight,  furnifhed 
a  fubjeft  of  fome  pleafantry  in  America;  where  it  was  known  that 
the  moon  bad  fet  two  hours  before  the  march  began. 


M'FINGAL.  CANTO  iv. 

Hence  ftill  lhall  teem  your  empty  fkull, 
With  vift'ries  when  the  moon's   at  full, 
Which  by  tranfition  yet  more  flrange, 
Wane  to  defeats  before  the   change; 
Hence  all  your  movements,  all  your  notions, 
%Shall  fleer  by  like  excentric  motions, 
Eclips'd  in  many  a  fatal  crilis, 
And  dimm'd  when  Wafliington  arifes* 
And  fee  how  fate  herfelf  turn  traitor. 
Inverts  the  ancient  courfe  of  nature, 
And  changes  manners,  tempers,  climes, 
To  fuit  the  genius  of  the  times. 
See  Bourbon  forms  his  gen'rous  plan, 
Firft  guardian  of  the  rights  of  man, 
And  prompt  in  firm  alliance  joins, 
To  aid  the  Rebels  proud  defigns. 
Behold  from  realms  of  eaftern  day, 
His  fails  innum'rous  fhape  their  way, 
In  warlike  line  the  billows  fweep, 
And  roll  the  thunders  of  the  deep. 
See,  low  in  equino6tial  fkies, 
The  Weftern  Iflands  fall  their  prize. 
See  Bfitilh  flags  o'ermatch*d  in  might, 
Put  all  their  faith  in  inflant  flight ; 
Or  broken  fquadrons  from  th'  affray, 
Drag  flow  their  wounded  hulks  away. 
Behold  his  chiefs  in  daring  fets, 
D'Eftaings,  DeGrafles,  and  Fayettes, 


CANTO    IV.  Mc  FIN  GAL.  I2J 

Spread  thro'  our  camps  their  dread  alarms, 

And  fwell  the  fears  of  rebel-arms. 

Yet,  ere  our  empire  fink  in  night, 

One  gleam  of  hope  fhall  ftrike  the  fight; 

As  lamps  that  fail  of  oil  and  fire, 

Collect  one  glimmering  to  expire. 

And  lo  where  fouthern  fliores  extend, 

Behold  our  union'd  hofts  defcend, 

Where  Charleftown  views,  with  varying  beams, 

Her  turrets  gild    th'  encircling  dreams. 

There  by  fuperior  might  compell'd, 

Behold  their  gallant  Lincoln  yield  *, 

Nor  aught  the  wreaths  avail  him  now, 

Pluck'd  from  Burgoyne's  imperious  brow. 

See,  furious  from  the  vanquifh'd  ftrand, 

Cornwallis  leads  his  mighty  band  ! 

The  fouthern  realms  and  Georgian  fliore 

Submit,  and  own  the  victor's  pow'r. 

Lo,  funk  before  his  wafting  way, 

The  Carolinas  fall  his  pray  ! 

In  vain  embattl'd  hofts  of  foes 

Effay  in  warring  ftrife  t*  oppofe. 

See,  ihrinking  from  his  conqu'ring  eye, 

The  rebel  legions  fall  or  fly  ; 

*  General  Lincoln  was  fecond  in  command  in  the  army  of  General 
Gates,  during  the  campaign  of  1777,  which  ended  in  the  capture  of 
General  Burgoyne;  He  is  an  officer  of  great  reputation.  He  after 
wards  commanded  the  army  in  South^Carolina,  and  was  taken  prifo- 
ner  with  the  garrifon  of  Charlcflownin  1780. 


I  24  M  *  F  I  N  G  A  L.  CANTO    IV* 

JjLnd,  with'ring  in  thefe  torrid  Ikies, 

'the  northern  laurel  fades  and  dies*. 

With  rapid  force  he  leads  his  band 

To  fair  Virginia's  fated  ftrand, 

Triumphant  eyes  the  travelFd  zone, 

And  boafts  the  fouthern  realms  his  own. 

Nor  yet  this  hero's  glories  bright 

Blaze  only  in  the  fields  of  fight ; 

Not  Howe's  human'ty  more  deferving, 

In  gifts  of  hanging,  and  of  ftarving ; 

Not  Arnold  plunders  more  tobacco, 

Or  fleals  more  negroes  for  Jamaica  f ; 

Scarce  Rodney's  felf,  among  th'  Euftatians, 

Infults  fo  well  the  laws  of  nations; 

Ev'n  Tryon's  fame  grows  dim,  and  mourning, 

He  yields  the  laurel  crown  of  burning. 

I  fee  with  rapture  and  furprize, 

New  triumphs  fparkling  in  thine  eyes ; 

But  view,  where  now  renew'd  in  might, 

Again  the  rebels  dare  the  fight." 

I  look'd,  and  far  in  fouthern  fkies, 
Saw  Greene,  their  fecond  hope,  arife, 

*  This  refers  to  the  fortune  of  General  Gates,  who  after  having 
conquered  General  Burgoyne  in  the  North,  was  defeated  by  Lord 
Cormvallis  in  the  South. 

t  Arnold,  in  year  1781,  having  been  converted  to  thecaufeof  G. 
Britain,  commanded  a  detachment  of  their  army  in  Virginia ;  where 
he  plundered  many  cargoes  of  negroes  and  of  tobacco,  and  fcntthemto 
Jamaica  for  his  own  account.  How  far  the  Lords  Rodney  and  Corn- 
wallis  might  have  excelled  him  in  this  kind  of  heroic  achievements, 
time  will  perhaps  never  difcover. 


CANTO    IV.  M'FINGAL. 

And  with  his  fmall  but  'gallant  band, 
Invade  the  Carolinian  land, 
As  winds  in  ftormy  circles  whiiTd 
Rufh  billowing  o'er  the  darken'd  world, 
And,  where  their  wailing  fury  roves, 
Succefllve  fweep  th'  aftonifli'd  groves. 
Thus  where  he  pours  the  rapid  fight. 
Our  boafted  conquefts  fmk  in  night, 
And  wide  o'er  all  th'  extended  field, 
Our  forts  refign,  our  armies  yield, 
Till,  now  regain' d  the  vanquifh'd  land, 
He  lifts  his  ftandard  on  the  ftrand. 

Again  to  fair  Virginia's  coaft, 
I  turn'd  and  view'd  the  Britifh  hoft, 
Where  Chefapeak's  wide  waters  lave 
Her  fhores,  and  join  th'  Atlantic  wave. 
There  fam'd  Cornwallis  tow'ring  rofe, 
And  fcorn'd  fecure  his  diftant  foes  ; 
His  bands  the  haughty  rampart  raife, 
And  bid  the  royal  ftandard  blaze. 
When  lo,  where  ocean's  bounds  extend^ 
I  faw  the  Gallic  fails  afcend, 
With  fav'ring  breezes  flem  their  way, 
And  croud  with  fhips  the  fpacious  bay. 
Lo,  Wafhington,  from  northern  ihores3 
O'er  many  a  region,  wheels  his  force, 
And  Rochambeau,  with  legions  bright^ 
Defcends  in  terrors  to  the  fight, 


126  MCFINGAL.  CANTO    IV. 

Not  fvvifter  cleaves  his  rapid    way, 
The  eagle  cow'ring  o'er  his  prey, 
Or  knights  in  fam'd  romance  that  fly 
On  fairy  pinions  thro*  the  fky. 
Amaz'd  the  Briton's  ftartl'd  pride, 
Sees  ruin  wake  on  ev'ry  fide ; 
And,  all  his  troops  to  fate  confign'd, 
By  inftantaneous  ftroke  Burgoyn,d. 
Not  Cadmus  view'd  with  more  furprize^ 
From  earth  embattl'd  armies  rife, 
When,  by  fuperior'pow'r  impelled, 
He  fow'd  with  dragon's  teeth  the  field. 
Here  Gallic  troops  in  terror  ftand, 
There  rufh  in  arms  the  Rebel  band; 
Nor  hope  remains  from  mortal  fight, 
Or   that  laft  Britifh  refuge,  flight. 
I  faw,  with  looks  downcaft  and  grave, 
The  Chief  emerging  from  his  f  cave, 
(Where,  chac'd  like  hare  in  mighty  round, 
His  hunters  earth'd  him  firft  in  ground,) 
And,  doom'd  by  Fate  to  rebel  fway, 
Yield  all  his  captur'd  hofts  a  prey. 

There,  while  I  view'd  the  vanquifh'd  town3 
Thus  with  a  figh  my  friend  went  on : 
"  Behold'ft  thou  not  that  band  forlorn, 
Likt  flaves  in  Roman  triumphs  borne ; 
Their  faces  lengthening  with  their  fears, 
And  cheeks  diftain'd  with  ftreams  of  tears, 

"  t  Alluding  to  the  well-known  fa£l  of  Cornwallis's  taking  ap 
his  refidence  in  a  cave,  during  the  licgeof  York-Town,'1 


CANTO  IV.  Mc  F  I  N  G  A  L.  127 

Like  dramatis  ferfon*  fage, 

Equipt  to  act  on  Tyburn's  flage. 

Lo  thefe  are  they,  who,  lurM  by  follies, 

Left  all  and  followed  great  Cornwallis ; 

True  to  their  King,  with  firm  devotion, 

For  confcience  fake  and  hop'd  promotion, 

Expectant  of  the  promised  glories, 

And  new  Millennial  ftate  of  Tories. 

Alas !  in  vain,  all  doubts  forgetting, 

They  tried  th'  omnipotence  of  Britain  ; 

But  found  her  arm,  once  ftrong  and  brave, 

So  fhorten'd  now  fhe  cannot  fave. 

Not  more  aghaft  departed  fouls, 

Who  riflc'd  their  fate  on  Popifh  bulls, 

And  find  St.  Peter  at  the  wicket 

Refufe  to  counterfign  their  ticket, 

When  driv'n   to  purgatory  back, 

With  all  their  pardons  in  their  pack  : 

Than  Tories  muft'ring  at  their  flations 
On  faith  of  royal  proclamations. 
As  Pagan  Chiefs  at  ev'ry  crifis, 
Confirmed  their  leagues  by  facrifices, 
And  herds  of  beafts  to  all  their  deities, 
Oblations  fell  at  clofe  of  treaties  : 
Cornwallis  thus,  in  ancient  fafhion, 
Concludes  his  league  of  capitulation, 
And  victims,  due  to  Rebel- glories, 
Gives  this  fin  off'ring  up  of  Tories. 


128  M'FINGAL.  CANTO  ir. 

See  where,  relieved  from  fad  embargo, 
Steer  off  confign'd  a  recreant  cargo, 
Like  old  fcape -goats  to  roam  in  pain, 
Mark'd  like  their  great  fore-runner,  Cain. 
The  reft,  now  doom'd  by  Britifh  leagues, 
To  juftice  of  refentful  Whigs, 
Hold  worthlcfs  lives  on  tenure  ill, 
Of  tenancy  at  Rebel-will, 
While  hov'ring  o'er  their  forfeit  perfons. 
The  gallows  waits  his  fure  reverfions. 

"  Thou  too,  M'Fingal,  ere  that  day, 
Shalt  tafte  the  terrors  of  th'  affray. 
See  o'er  thee  hangs  in  angry  fkies, 
Where  Whiggifh  conftellations  rife, 
And  while  plebeian  figns  afcend, 
Their  mob-infpiring  afpects  bend, 
That  baleful  Star,  whofe  *  horrid  hair 
Shakes  forth  the  plagues  of  down  and  tar! 
I  fee  the  pole,  that  rears  on  high 
Its  flag  terrific  thro*  the  fky  ; 
The  Mob  beneath  prepared  t'  attack, 
And  tar  predeftin'd  for  thy  back  ! 
Ah  !  quit,  my  friend,  this  dang'rous  home,, 
Nor  wait  the  darker  fcencs  to  come ; 
For  know  that  Fate's  aufpicious  door, 
Once  fhut  to  flight,  is  op'd  no  more, 

•'  *  From  his  horrid  hair 

Shakes  peftilencc  and  war."  MiLTON. 


CANTO    IV.  MCFINGAL, 

Nor  wears  its  hinge  by  various  flations, 
Like  Mercy's  door  in  proclamations.* 

"  But  left  thou  paufe,   or  doubt  to  fly, 
To  ftranger  vifions   turn  thine  eye  : 
Each  cloud  that  dimm'd  thy  mental  ray, 
And  all  the  mortal  mifts  decay  ; 
See  more  than  human  Pow'rs  befriend, 
And  lo,  their  hoftile  forms  afcend  ! 
See  tow'ring  o'er  th'  extended  ftrand, 
The  Genius  of  the  weftern  land, 
In  vengeance  arm'd,  his  fword  aflumes, 
And  ftands,  like  Tories,  dreft  in  plumes.. 
See  o'er  yon  Council  feat  with  pride, 
How  Freedom  fpreads  her  banners  wide  ! 
There  Patriotifm  with  torch  addrefs'd, 
To  fire  with  zeal  each  daring  breaft  ! 
While  all  the  Virtues  in  their  band,, 
Efcape  from  yon  unfriendly  land, 
Defert  their  ancient  Britifh  flation, 
Poffeft  with  rage  of  emigration. 
Honour,  his  bufmefs  at  a  (land, 
For  fear  of  ftarving  quits  the  land  ; 


*  The  door  of  mercy  is  now  open,  and  the  door  of  untrcy  zo 
were  phrafes  fo  often  ufed  in  the  proclamations  of  the  Britifh  Gene 
rals  in  America,  that  our  Poet  feems  to  fear  that  the  hinge  of  that 
door  will  be  worn  out.  A  general  collection  of  thcfe  proclamations, 
or  an  abridgement  of  them  comprifed  in  a  few  volumes,  would  form 
a  curious  fyftem  of  rhetorical  ta&ics  ;  which  might  be  of  great 
utility  to  the  French  emigrant  princes,  and  to  thofe  potentates  of 
Europe,  who  are  going  to  fubdue  the  fpirk  ef  Liberty  in  France. 


130  »1CFINGAL  CANTO    IV. 

And  Juftice,  long  difgraced  at  Court,  had 
By  Mansfield's    fentence  been  tranfported. 
Vift'ry  and  Fame  attend  their  way, 
Tho*  Britain  wifh  their  longer  ftay, 
Care  not  what  George  or  North  would  be  at, 
Nor  heed  their  writs  of  ne  exeat ; 
But,  fir'd  with  love  of  colonizing, 
Quit  the  fall'n  empire  for  the  rifing." 

I  look'd,  and  faw,  with  horror  fmitten> 
Thefe  hoftile  pow'rs  averfe  to  Britain. 
When  lo,  an  awful  fpectre  rofe, 
With  languid  palenefs  on  his  brows ; 
Wan  dropfies  fwell'd  his  form  beneath  ; 
Andic'dhis  bloated  cheeks  with  deaths 
His  tatter'd  robe  expofed  him  bare* 
To  ev'ry  blaft  of  ruder  air  ; 
On  two  weak  crutches  propt  he  ftood> 
That  bent  at  ev'ry  ftep  he  trod> 
Gilt  titles  grac*d  their  fides  fo  flender, 
One,  "  Regulation,"  t'other,  "  Tender  >" 
His  bread-plate  grav'd  with  various  dates, 
fc  The  faith  of  all  th*  United  States  :M 
Before  him  went  his  fun'ral  pall, 
His  grave  flood  dug  to  wait  his  fall, 
I  darted,  and  aghad  I  cry'd, 
««  What  means  this  fpecbre  at  their  fide  ? 
What  danger  from  a  Pow'r  fo  vain, 
And  why  he  joins  that  fplendid  train  ?" 


CANTO  iv.  M'FINGAL. 

<c  Alas,  great  Malcolm  cry'd,  experience 
Might  teach  you  not  to  truft  appearance. 
Here  (lands,  as  dreft  by  fierce  Bellona, 
The  ghoft  of  Continental  Money, 
Of  dame  Neaflity   defcended, 
With  whom   Credulity  engender'd. 
Tho'  born  'with  conftitution  frail, 
And  feeble  ftrength  that  foon  mud  fail; 
Yet  ftrangely  vers'd  in  magic  lore, 
And  gifted  with  transforming  pow'r, 
His  (kill  the  wealth  Peruvian  joins 
With  diamonds  of  Brazilian  mines. 
As   erft  Jove   fell  by  fubtle  wiles 
On  Danae's  apron  thro'   the  tiles, 
In  fhow'rs  of  gold :  his  potent  hand 
Shall  fhed  like  fhow'rs  thro'  all  the  land. 
Lefs  great  the  magic  art  was  reckon'd, 
Of  tallies  call  by  Charles  the  Second, 
Or  Law's  fam'd  Miffifippi  fchemes, 
Or  all  the  wealth  of  South-fea  dreams. 
For  he  of  all  the  world   alone 
Owns  the  long-fought  Philos'pher's  Stone,, 
Pveftores  the  fab'ious  times  to  view, 
And  proves  the  tale  of  Midas  true. 
O'er  heaps  of  rags  he  waves  his  wand,, 
All  turn  to  gold  at  his  command, 
Provide  for  prefent  wants  and  future^ 
Raife  armies*  victual,    clothe,  accoutre* 


k'FINGAL.  CANTO    IV* 

Adjourn   our  conquefts  by  efibigne, 

Check  Howe's  advance,  and  take  Burgoyne, 

Then  make  all   days   of  payment  vain, 

And  turns  all  back  to  rags  again. 

In  vain  great  Howe  {hall  play  his  part, 

To  ape  and  counterfeit  his  art  $ 

In  vain  fhall  Clinton,  more  belated, 

A  conj'rer  turn  to   imitate  it  -, 

With  like  ill  luck  and  pow'r  as  narrow, 

They'll  fare,  like  for'cers  of  old  Pharaoh, 

Who  tho'  the  art  they  underftood 

Of  turning  rivers  into  blood, 

And  caus'd  their  frogs  and  friakes  t'exift, 

That  with  fome  merit  croak'd  and  hifs'd, 

Yet  ne'er,  by   ev'ry  quaint  device, 

Could  frame  the  true  Mofaic  lice.  f 

He  for  the  Whigs  his  arts  fhall  try, 

Their  firft,  and  long  their  fole  ally ; 

A  patriot   firm,  while  breath  he  draws, 

He'll  periih  in  his  country's  caufe ; 

And   when  his  magic  labours  ceafe, 

Lie  bury'd  in  eternal  peace. 

cc  Now  view  the  fcenes  in  future  hours* 

^**4   -T- 

That  wait  the  fam'd  European  Pow'rs. 
See  where  yon   chalky  cliffs  arife, 
The  hill's  of  Britain  ftrike  your  eyes : 
Its  fmaii  extenfion  long  fupply'd 
By  vafb  immenfity  of  pride  j 


CANTO    IV.  MCFINGAL. 

So  ftnall,  that   had  it  found  a  ftation 
In  this  new   world    at  firil  creation, 
Or  were  by  Juftice  doom'd   to  fuffer, 
And  for  its  crimes  tranfported  over, 
We'd  find  full  room  for't  in  Lake  Erie,  or 
That  larger  water-pond,  Superior*, 
Where  North,  on-  margin  taking  Hand, 
Would   not  be  able  to  fpy  land. 
No   more,   elate  with   pow'r   at  eafe 
She  deals  her  infuks  round   the  feasj 
See,  dwindling  from   her  height   amain, 
What  piles  of  ruin  fpread  the  plain  -, 
With  mouldering   hulks  her  ports  are  fill'd^ 
And  brambles-  clothe  the  cultur'd  field  ! 
See   on  her  cliffs  her   Genius  lies, 
His  handkerchief  at-  , both  his  eyes, 
With  many  a  deep-drawn  figh  and  groan, 
To  mourn  -her  •  ruin  and  his  own! 
W'hile  joyous   Holland,  France,   and   Spain* 
With  conquering  navies  jule  the  main, 

*  This  fuppoHtion,  fo  far  as  it  refpefts  Lake  Superior,  is  ndt 
exaggerated.  That  Lake  is  2200  miles  in  circumference.  It  is  fup- 
pofed  by  fome,  that  in  this  palfage  the  Author/ meant  to  ridi 
cule  the  misfortune  of  Lord  North,  in  the  lofs  of  his  fight.  But 
as  this  Poem  was  written  and  publilhcd,  word  for  word,  as  in 
this  edition,  feveral  years  before  that  misfortune  happened,  the  Au 
thor  muft  be  innocent  of  the  leaft  ciefign  upon  any  thing  more 
than  mental  blindnefs.  There  is  no  allufion  to  any  other  eyes  in 
his  lordfhip,  than  the  eyes  of  his  iinderflanding,  which  were  fiippo- 
fed,  by  fome  people  at  that  time  to  be  wonderoufiy  dim  ;  cfpecial- 
Jy  Vr-hen  confidered  as  belonging  to  the  Argus  ot  *a  great  nation. 

T 


ct 54  M  c  F  I  N  G  'A*l~  /CANTO    IV. 

And  Rr-fSaii  bannersy  wide  unfurl'd, 
Spread  commerce  round  the  eaftern  world. 
And  fee  .(tight  hateful  and  tormenting) 
Th*  Amer'can  empire,  proud    and  vaunting, 
From  anarchy  fliall   change  her  crafts, 
And  fix  her  po\v'r  on  firmer  bafis ; 
To  glory,  wealth,  and  fame  afcend, 
Her  commerce  rife,  her  realms  extend  $ 
Where  now  the^  panther  guards  his  den, 
Her  defert  forefts  fvvarm  with  men,' 
Her  cities,  towTS  and  columns  rife, 
And  dazzfirig  temples  meet  the  fkies  5 
Her  pines   defcendirig  to  the  main, 
In  triumph   fpread  the  wat'ry  plain  ; 
Ride  inland  fakes  with  fav'ring  gales, 
And  cioud  her  ports  with  whit'ning  fails  s 
Till 'to  the  fkirts   of  weftern  day, 
The  peopl'd    regions  own  her  fvvavv" 
Tflus  -  far  McFingal  told  hJ3  tale, 
When   tlttfntfVing  fhoUts'  his  ears  afTaily  ! 
And  fir  ait  a ,  Tory  that  flood  centry, 
Aghad,   rufh'd  headlong^ down  the  entry. 
And  with  wild    outcry,  like  magician, 
Diipers'd  the  refidue  of  vifion  : 
For  how  the  Whigs  intelPgenCe  found 
Of  Tories  mudVing  under  ground. 
And  with  rude  bangs  and  loud  uproar^ 
thunder  furious.  3t  the  door* 


t  -     Vff  M  f  F  I  N  G  A  L.  13J 

'us   put  .out,-  each  Tq.y  calls 
lo  cover  himl  on  cellar   walls," 
Creeps  in  each   box,-  or   bin,  or  tul}, 
To  hide  his  head  from  wrath. of  mob, 
Or  lurks,  where  cabbages    in  row 
Adorn'd  the   fide  with  verdant  fhow  ; 
M'Fingal  deem'd  it  vain   to  flay, 
And  rifk  his    bones    in   fccond   fray  ; 
But   chofe   a  grand  retreat  from  foes, 
In  litVal  fenfe,  beneath  their  nofe. 
The  window  then,  which  none  elfe  knew, 
He  foftly  open'd   and   crept  thro', 
And  crawling  flow  in  deadly  fear, 
By  movements,  wif$  made  good  his  rear. 
Then,   fcorning  all  the  fame  of  martyr, 
For  Bofton  took  his   fwifc  departure  ; 
Nor    dar'd  look  back  on  fatal  fpot, 
More  than   die  family  of  Lot. 
Not  North,   in  more   diflrefs'd   condition, 
Out- voted  firft  by  Oppofition  : 
Nor  good  King  George  when  that  dire  phantom 
Of  Independence  comes  to  haunt  him, 
Which  hov'ring  round  by  night  and   day, 
Not  all  his  conj'rers  yet   can  lay. 
His  friends,    ailembrd  for  his  fake, 
He  wifely  left  in  pawn,  at  flake, 
To  tarring  feath'ring,  kicks,  and  drubs 
OF  furious,  difoppointed  mobs, 


M  CF  T  N  G  AL. 


CANTO 


And  with  their  forfeit  hides  to  pay 

For  him,  their  leader  crept  away. 

So  when  wife  Noah  fummon'd  greeting 

All  animals  to  gen'ral  meeting  ; 

From  ev'ry  fide  the  members  fent 

All  kinds  of  beads  to  reprefent  ; 

Eich  from  the  flood  took  care  t*  embark, 

And  fave  hi§  carcafe  in   the  ark  5 

But  as  it  fares  in  (late  and  church. 

Left  his  conflituents  in  the  lurch. 


FINIS, 


